What Lies Beneath
by SophiesRoses
Summary: There are the stories we knew, and the things that lay beneath. This is the story of all we didn't know and what happened when Jackie left on NYE 1979. Her decision changes the future for them all, and illuminates the past. Nobody will be the same, and hard decisions about life and death, love and loss have to be made. Mature content, language and themes.
1. Chapter 1

What Lies Beneath

 _A bit of a timeline adjustment for our story. Sam never leaves with Larry. Our scene starts on New Year's Day, but the Jackie/Fez thing happened in November. Jackie has known for some time that she's leaving Point Place…_

Everyone reaches their breaking point eventually. Everyone. For Jackie, it wasn't about Samantha. Not really. Sam was an inconvenience; a bleached, vapid ball of fortunate fat-deposits and shiny polyester short-shorts. The breaking point was Steven's attitude. His acerbic wit had turned angry, vicious, and mean-spirited. She'd had enough by New Year's Eve. What was especially hurtful to her, though, was that he expected it to break her. She couldn't believe that he thought her so fragile, so empty, that his snide remarks and innuendo would bring her to her knees.

Well, fuck that. She was Jacqueline Burkhardt. She kneeled to no man. Not even Steven J. Hyde.

Her acceptance letter to Northwestern burned a hole in her hand as she marched through the snow and frost back to her shared apartment with Fez. She'd sent her deposit in when she got the letter back in October. A small part of her had clung to the hope that he'd snap out of his shitty mood, kick Sam to the curb, and come back to her. She snorted at her own foolish optimism, and the burning sensation in her eyes migrated to her heart. Jackie Burkhardt was fucking pissed.

Then she remembered Fez, and her anger abated slightly.

He'd been so good to her the last few weeks, her sweet, foreign prince. He knew that they wouldn't last, but he gave her room to let her heart explode in one last valiant attempt to recapture love. When it was all over, he wished her luck and promised to keep her secret from them all- especially the traitors. She would pay Fez back for everything, but especially his loyalty, when she made her mark. For those who crossed her, though, she would stoke the flames of revenge as long as it took to find satisfaction.

She started throwing clothes into a large suitcase without regard to space or practicality. Upon attempting to close the overpacked luggage, however, she realized that this moment was where life began anew. She slowly unpacked and methodically trawled through her expansive wardrobe. Each piece of clothing was held tightly, smelled, and gazed upon. If no powerful emotion took place, she lovingly set it aside to be donated in the morning. Certain pieces brought such joy, or heart-clenching sorrow that she just HAD to pack them. Her favorite Jordache jeans, the ones her mother bought her on her "first American shopping trip" since Mexico, her pink plaid flannel pajamas, and a faded Led Zeppelin concert tee so full of smiles and tears that it held life itself- these made the suitcase instantly. A second suitcase was packed with essential makeup, toiletries, and a white gold oval locket that meant everything to her. She opened it quickly, smiled at the happy faces in the pictures on either side, and closed it gently. _He'd_ never give her jewelry. No, this had been a gift from Red for her graduation, but the inscription on the back had been vintage Steven.

 _I'll be with you always, dollface._

It was as close to "I love you", as Steven Hyde could get.

As she closed her bedroom door she looked around at the apartment and smiled at the few happy memories that flooded her mind. A conversation just hours old echoed in her ears…

" _Jackie, sweetie, this is your chance. You've got to take it! Honey, this town is fine for Red and me. We've lived our youth! We saw the places we wanted to see, did the things we wanted to do, and then lived the lives we chose to live. But you…" she sighed, "You've been waiting on my son to grow up, and for Donna to be the friend you were to her. Stop waiting, dear. There's a fire in you that they don't see… But Red and I see it. Go get your future, Jackie!" and she squeezed the tiny hands in her own._

" _Mrs. Foreman…, " Jackie began. The words were stuck painfully in her throat._

" _I know, dear. I know."_

" _Please tell Red goodbye for me. Tell Eric, when he gets home, where I am. We were friends, real and honest friends, and I think he'd understand."_

" _I will, Jackie. Make sure to write to us. If you need anything, you know that Red and I, and you-know-who will take care of you," Kitty winked at their shared secret._

" _I do, Mrs. Foreman. I really do."_

And that was it. Jackie took a deep breath, shook the memories out of her mind, and walked into the frigid Wisconsin winter. In 24 hours, she'd be on her journey to becoming someone new, someone strong, someone she'd be proud of… even if Steven wasn't. Jackie was determined to find out what lay beneath her skin.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

March 3, 1980

Steven and Sam were at it again. She'd heard him on the phone with Fez that morning. It'd been 2 months since any of them had seen or heard from Jackie and Hyde was becoming seriously worried. Red and Kitty refused to speak to him about Jackie. Fez angrily rebuffed his friendship completely, and Kelso steadfastly maintained that he hadn't heard from or seen her. He thought back to how he'd gotten to this point…

He remembered the agony of those first few days after his return from Vegas. His heart breaking every time she walked into the basement; a constant physical reminder that his previous happiness was forever out of reach.

The first few days of Sam's stay had been excruciating, but then a strange anger manifested inside him. He started to hate Jackie for daring to exist, to be, when he couldn't be with her.

 _This is all her fault. She dropped you like a bad habit and drove you into this mess. Don't let her win, man. Make her pay, until she leaves for good. Then you can forget she ever existed._

So Hyde had listened to his anger, and let his temper loose. He cut her down, watched Sam burn her, even encouraged a friendship between Donna and Sam to isolate Jackie. He watched it tear into her, and was grudgingly impressed with how much she seemed to withstand it. Maybe he overestimated how much he meant to her in the first place?

But that New Year's Eve, he'd gone for broke. He knew Jackie was vulnerable, knew she was hurting and raw from the breakup with Fez. So he'd gone for the jugular, hoping to finish her once and for all.

 _"Happy New Year's, Steven" she whispered. She'd heard his feet on the steps behind_

 _her._

 _"Whatever," he threw the word out as casually as he could to bait her._

 _She sighed and her shoulders actually slumped forward. He was breaking her from the inside. He'd realized that the way to finish her was treat her as someone unworthy of his notice or attention. She could survive the insults. She could make herself believe that they were a sign that she still mattered. But if he simply ignored her, pretended that her existence was worth nothing? He knew it would destroy her._

" _Got any plans for the new year?" she asked._

 _He had to give her credit, she was really trying to reach out to him. "Listen, man," he wouldn't even use her name, "isn't there anywhere else you can go? I mean, Sam's the decoration, Donna's the intellectual, Kelso's the goofball, and Fez is the creepy perv. You used to bring something to the table, but lately you're just draggin us all down. It's fucking depressing to watch you keep trying to matter anymore."_

 _Her eyes were so beautifully expressive. He'd loved that so much. He forced himself to look up, and was genuinely shocked at what happened next. The bright force that resided behind them went out. Her eyes stopped dancing, the light went dull. He watched it happen and was horrified._

 _He'd done it. He'd broken her._

" _Okay, Steven" she said in a flat tone, "You guys take care."_

 _And she got up and left. No tears, no hysterics, no pleading or screaming or throwing or… anything._

 _The door to the basement closed quietly behind her, and Hyde sank back into his chair with a terrible knot in his chest. The angry fire that had been keeping his hate alive was gone, replaced by a weighty remorse. He wasn't sure how he let himself get this far gone. Why had he done that? He jumped up from his chair and raced to the basement door. Taking the steps two at a time he'd just cleared the top step when he ran smack in to Red._

" _Sorry, Red, I gotta…" he started, but Red held out a hand. He looked at Steven with such disappointment, such utter contempt that Hyde was frozen in place._

" _No," Red said quietly, "You don't get to do this to her anymore, Steven. You've had months to make this right. To do the right thing. I thought I raised you better than this. I thought that if Kitty and I showed you a different way…" he sighed deeply, "Son, I never thought I'd see you turn into Edna."_

 _Red wasn't yelling, and that made it so much worse. "That's what she did, if you think about it. She had you, and when things weren't exactly right, or it got a little tough, she blamed you. Took out everything on you. Made you feel like you were the burden, the cause of all the trouble, that you had earned her treatment. Now you look back on the last 2 years and tell me that isn't what you did to Jackie," and with that he walked back into the_ _house, leaving a stunned Hyde in his wake._

He'd let her absence go for a few days, convinced that if he gave her a few days and then showed up she'd be willing to listen to him. He drove by her house on the 4th day, and saw with a shock that the house was occupied. He ran up to the door and discovered the house had been sold two weeks previously. He'd stopped by her old apartment a few days after that, and tried to talk to Fez through the door. The loyal foreigner wouldn't even open the door to talk to him. After an hour of back-and-forth, Fez finally cracked the door to tell Hyde that even if he wanted to tell him where she was, he couldn't as Jackie had left no forwarding address. Just an envelope with enough cash to cover her rent for the next year and a note explaining why she was leaving.

He was sure that Fez knew more than he was letting on, but the loyal man had been resolute in his answers every time they talked. No matter how many times or in what way he asked, Fez repeated that Jackie had not left any information as to her whereabouts. In desperation, he'd written to Eric, asking if his oldest friend knew where the grasshopper had disappeared to. A solid month had passed before he'd received a curt reply:

 _Hyde,_

 _I'm not sure if you realize this, but you are married to Samantha. Married. Remember? Marriage? That thing you railed and ranted against with Jackie? Yeah… so, fuck off. I've been busy here in Swaziland, thanks for not asking. I understand, though. I mean, if it doesn't involve you, or Donna's hair, or your car, then it's really not that important is it?_

 _Take care or whatever,_

 _Eric_

He'd curled the piece of paper in his hand angrily and heard his own retort, _"Whatever.._ " form in his mind. In that moment he'd felt a rush of shame so powerful it nearly caved his chest in.

Eric had given up on him so completely that he didn't even warrant a proper burn. That kind of low was new for Hyde. He wondered ruefully what Kitty and Red must think of him, wondered what W.B. was thinking of him right about now. Their shared "adult" son, who brought home a Vegas stripper from a quickie wedding he couldn't remember, and emotionally tortured his ex-girlfriend into missing person-hood.

Ugh. Even he was disgusted by himself. He wore his "marriage" to Sam like a badge of honor, like he was such a fantastic fucking human being for not being ashamed of her. When, to all accounts, he truly should have been ashamed of her. Not because Sam was a stripper, or blonde, or ditzy, or crude. It was because she was manipulative, possessive, and cruel. Kitty and Red judged people on their character, not their jobs. They'd seen right through Pam and Jack Burkhardt, and those two had once had more money than the rest of Wisconsin combined, and they'd seen right through Sam in a matter of days.

That morning, the first week of March, Hyde decided to call Fez again and see if he could get through to him. He'd thought Sam was still asleep. She'd gotten home around 6 a.m. so he assumed she'd be too exhausted to bother with breakfast. He'd been _so close_ to cracking Fez…

"Look, man, she's the love of my life. I just need to find her so I can tell her. I swear if she slams the door in my face, I'll leave and never bother her again. Just.. please, Fez.

I'm… I'm not ME without her."

"Aiiiii," there was a long pause, "Fine. Jackie got an acceptance letter to-"

The phone was snatched from his hand and slammed into the receiver. With utter fury, Hyde turned on the offending person ready to punch their lights out when he saw Sam's equally angry face glaring back at him. Her normally benign expression was murderous.

"So, been looking for ME?!" she screamed, "Guess I was pretty hard to find all bunched up under the covers in OUR BED!"

Steven wasn't ready for this argument. He'd had nearly 2 decades of practice in avoiding uncomfortable conversations, he wasn't about to break habit now. So he fell back on his second best practice- stay Zen and disengage.

"Well?!" shrieked Sam, "Who were you calling Fez about?"

"Whatever, Sam. It's too early to deal with this," he said as he reached for his coffee, "Why don't you go back to bed?"

"You think I don't know who you're looking for? I've given you 7 of the best months of your life, Hyde! And you're still chasing that toothpick little slut like a lost puppy!"

"Sam, you don't know what you're talking about, and you're gonna wake the neighbors" Steven said. "If they call the cops, I'm not bailing you out, you'll have to haul your underwear down to the court to count out your bail."

"You know what, Hyde?" she sneered at him, "It's almost funny that you think you're screwing me over by leaving me. There are hundreds of guys who'd _kill_ to take your place."

She said it without a trace of hysteria, and for the third time in his life, Steven Hyde felt a tingle of fear ripple down his spine.

"I'm going to pack my stuff," she said in a low and deadly tone, "and then I'm outta here. You're gonna send me alimony for the next 6 months and if you're on time with the checks, I'll let you go without a fuss or a fight. You miss a single month, and I'm coming back here for half your store, half your car, and half your life."

Hyde stared as the tiny blonde flounced angrily out of the kitchen and downstairs to the basement. She had been gone about 30 seconds before he snatched the phone from its cradle and dialed Fez's number again.

"Mr. Sexy's Pizza. Our special today is Sausage and Tang," answered Fez.

"Fez, man, that doesn't even… Nevermind, what were you saying before?"

"You know what, Hyde? Go fuck yourself," Fez said, calmly. "Jackie wasted years on you. She fought for you, always. She pushed you to be something in life, to have a relationship with W.B. All the good things you have, she was behind all of it. And all she wanted was for you to say you loved her, to show her that she meant something to you. You know what I think? I think you're miserable because she isn't there to shield you from the crapstorm you rain down on yourself, pal! I think that if I gave you access to her, you'd ruin her again, just so she'd be miserable with you! So no way, man, you enjoy your Zen and your whore. I will be planning my next trip to see the goddess on my own!"

And with that, Hyde's best chance at locating Jackie disconnected from the line.

He sat at the white formica table with his head in his hands. Foreman was gone, Jackie was gone, Kelso was gone, and Samantha was peeling out of the driveway as he sat there in the kitchen. There was only one person left he could turn to…

After smoking a good portion of his stash and finding the bottom of his bottle of Jack, Hyde stumbled into Donna's house and climbed the stairs. He could hear faint noises from the bedroom and they sounded violent, almost frightened.

His pace quickened and he burst into Donna's bedroom, half ready to cold-cock a stranger… until his eyes focused on the bizarre scene in front of him-

Donna was completely naked, a ball-gag stuffed in her mouth and Randy plowing into her ass at full speed. With each thrust, Donna whimpered a little as Randy moaned, "Oh yeah, mommy, you know you love Big Randy!"

If Hyde hadn't watched a junkie overdose in his mom's bedroom as a kid, this would've easily qualified as the freakiest thing he'd ever seen. _Who calls their girlfriend "mommy"?_

Donna's hands were handcuffed behind her, but she saw Hyde and stiffened enough that Randy looked up. Before Hyde could move, Randy had closed the gap between them and was standing, buck naked, 2 inches from Hyde's face.

"You want in on this? Donna's had a bunch of Ecstasy and she's up for anything," He winked.

"Uh, probably not man…" Hyde said, as Donna stepped off the bed and kneeled in front of him. Randy unhooked her gag and cuffs, and Donna quickly unzipped Hyde's fly. Grabbing her long blonde ponytail, Randy jerked her head up to face him.

"You want your first threesome, don't you Donna?" Randy demanded. Donna's mouth started to open in answer, but Randy didn't wait for her reply. He motioned for Hyde to stand in front of Donna and positioned himself behind her.

Hyde opened his mouth to protest, but Donna grinned and looked up at Hyde. She grabbed his cock and swallowed him whole. His dick grew rapidly in her warm, wet mouth. She tried to pull back, but Randy kept his hand behind her head preventing her from retreating. Hyde could hear her gag, and tried to pull back, but Randy kept forcing her to deep throat Hyde's dick. Randy thrust into Donna's pussy, eliciting a sharp cry.

"You like that, don't you, Big Red?" He mocked, "You want me to keep fucking your twat? Or should I keep pounding that ass of yours?"

"Please, Randy," she moaned, "no more ass-play. I need to come."

"Too bad," He said, and rammed his penis into her ass. "Hyde, take this slut's hair and make sure she finishes the job," and with that he proceeded to fuck Donna like a jackhammer.

Hyde wasn't sure what to do. Donna was stroking him and licking his cock, and everything in the room seemed disconnected from reality. As Randy came noisily, Hyde thought he could make an escape and started to move away. But Donna grabbed his ass in her palms and buried his cock in her mouth. Hyde gasped and looked down at the top of her head. The blonde locks looked just like Sam's from this angle. He grabbed her hair on either side of her ears and laced his fingers into her scalp. He moved her head quickly, then more violently. He saw Randy grab something off the bed and start to fuck Donna's pussy with it. Whatever it was, it must've been welcome, because Donna's tongue began to dance in her mouth. The combination of the rapid motion and her probing tongue had Hyde on the edge. He closed his eyes and thought of the most beautiful face in the world…

" _Jackie… "_ and he exploded into Donna's waiting mouth.

Sweat dripping off of him he looked down at Donna. Randy was now lying on the ground with Donna sitting on his face. "That's right, you suck your mommy's pussy, you bad boy! You eat it all!" Donna screamed. Randy looked like he might suffocate.

Hyde shook his head to clear the fog. Whatever had just happened, Hyde knew they'd crossed an invisible line. The old gang was gone forever. Now, he just wanted to get out and get away. He pulled his jeans up, gave Donna a last look, and walked out of the Pinciotti household for good.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

September 1980

"Jackie! Hey, Jackie!" A loud, slightly overeager voice was calling to her from across the quad. Jackie turned to the familiar voice, heart thumping a little in her chest, and saw Eric Foreman waving and smiling like Charlie Brown at Christmas.

"OH MY GOD! ERIC!" she screamed back. Dropping her books onto a nearby bench she ran full-tilt to her "big brother" and launched herself at him. Catching her easily, Eric squeezed his "lil sister" and smiled brightly. His time in Swaziland had mentally and physically toughened him, so much so that Jackie was winded from the hug as he lifted her in the air. Laughing, he set her back down on two feet.

"So, how's Northwestern? Red said you got a 4.0 your first semester and you took a full load this summer!" Eric smiled down at Jackie. "Little Devil been sacrificing humans to the GPA gods?"

"Please, Eric, I'm just naturally gifted.." she said in a mock lofty tone. The truth was that she'd been burning the candle at EVERY end since she arrived. She'd even taken on an internship in the summer at the local newspaper. She'd recently been accepted into the Medill College at Northwestern for Journalism after the Spring semester. Now she was preparing to up the ante again- she was trying to finish enough Political Science courses for a dual degree.

"Well, whatever you've been doing, do you think you can take a night off?" he asked sincerely, "I told Red that I'm stopping here to say hi to you and the Kelsos, and then heading back to Point Place for a few weeks. I'd love to see the campus and maybe we can grab dinner?"

"Eric, of course!" she cried, excited to catch up with him in person, "So, I only have one class today, and it's just first-day orientation so we can meet at The Deuce in an hour!"

"The…deuce?" Eric asked, a bit confused.

"Yeah, Mark II Lounge, just ask anybody and they'll point you in the right direction. Oh, but don't mess with the jukebox…" she laughed.

"Cool! See you in an hour, little one," he hugged her affectionately and strode off down the quad to explore the campus a bit.

As he walked away, Jackie found herself truly smiling for the first time in months. She was so happy in her new life in Evanston, but it had come at a huge cost. She knew she'd need help breaking free from Point Place, and Steven, for good. So she'd begged Eric and Fez and Brooke to keep her location a secret. The night she left she'd written a letter to Eric so long that it had taken 3 envelopes to mail it. She detailed everything that had transpired since he left, and included her new address, hoping he'd give her his blessing and his silence. She and Eric hadn't been especially close when he left, but whatever else it was it was always honest. They never pretended with each other, and of all the old crowd, she was the one who had written to him most often. Three days a week, without fail, she'd pull out some stationery and jot down whatever occurred to her. Sometimes it was just the latest Fez/sex debacle, sometimes it was about something funny she'd seen, and always she ended it with "Proud of you, Jackie".

He hadn't gotten to say it yet, but those letters had gotten him through the worst moments of his life, and, often, the funnier letters had helped others get through theirs.

Still, she'd been shocked to receive a letter from him barely a month later:

 _Jackie,_

 _Thanks for the novel. It actually made this week go by a bit easier. When they told me_

 _I'd be coming to Africa, I was so naïve. I had gone my whole life thinking of Africa as one big country (I'm a dumbass)! When we finally landed in Johannesburg I was so amazed by how beautiful and cosmopolitan everything was, but I knew that wasn't my final destination. As I'm sure you know, I was shuttled to this tiny country called Swaziland. It's actually a country inside another country! The people here are amazing, but Jackie, they are so very, very poor. America's poor would easily be the wealthiest people here by a longshot. They are so kind, though, and it's just exquisite countryside. But enough about here._

 _Jackie, I know this may come as a shock, but I'm happy to help in any way I can. Hyde is my brother, but he's got some serious issues. I know I gave you guys a hard time, but in truth I was glad he had you. I knew you were the person who'd keep him from falling into his own self-fulfilling prophecy. I always thought he knew that too. I'm sorry that I was so wrong. For a long time now I've suspected that the way I thought things were, wasn't how they actually were. Donna was always perfectly happy as my girlfriend when I was the groveling, twitchy, pathetic boy-beneath-her. As soon as I "manned up", as Red would say, she'd throw it in my face that I was some misogynistic asshole who was threatened by her. It's just as well. I'm convinced we did the right thing by ending it. She needs someone who kisses her ass, and I'm starting to see that there's a lot better things to do with my time._

 _As for Hyde, well, I always thought he was better than this. Better than Kelso. But it looks like he used us both. He used me to feel better about himself as a son, and he used you to feel better about himself as a man. I want to believe that he loved you, truly I do. Because it took weeks for the hurt to die down when I realized that Donna never really loved me at all. And I don't wish that pain on anyone. Not even you, Devil (ha-ha, just kidding)._

 _I'll keep your secret- where you are, what you're doing, and that other thing, too. But you need to promise to keep writing. I like the plan you said you have for yourself. You sound stronger already, kid. Know that you are now and forever my "little sister", and that me and Fez have got your back._

 _Keep on keepin on,_

 _Eric_

Jackie had held onto that letter so tightly for weeks afterward. She was putting the first phase of her plan into motion. She was forming her "forever family", starting with her two brothers- Fez and Eric. Red and Kitty had long since assumed the role of Mom and Dad, so there was no question of replacing them. Brooke was the sister she always dreamt of, and had been so thrilled that Jackie was now living close by that their bond had solidified barely a month into Jackie's first term.

Letting go of Bob had been the most painful part of her new life. He was such a kind and sincere man. He'd been genuinely hurt when Red told him that she was gone and hadn't come to say goodbye. Red had the good sense not to mention that it was because of Donna, and Jackie hoped Bob didn't think it had anything to do with himself.

There was just the matter of this last secret, this last link back to her old self that was so vitally important it couldn't be severed. But her "secret squirrel" had been the mastermind all along. He'd known, he'd watched, he'd planned this and when she'd been ready to listen, he'd laid out all the cards. This was how she'd become who she needed to be, and hopefully, THAT Jackie would be the one to save his son.

Jackie stopped at a payphone and dialed a familiar number,

"Hello?"

Jackie smiled, "Hey, W.B., it's Jackie. I just wanted to let you know I got my summer grades back. All A's, and I got that recommendation from the editor for next summer."

"Jackie, that's incredible! I'm so proud of you!" W.B. said, with such warmth that Jackie felt her heart swell.

"W.B.?", she hesitated, "How is he?"

"Not good, little one, not good at all…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

September 1980

Steven Hyde was barely functioning. He dragged himself into the store every morning at the crack of dawn, trying to find some way to squeeze a few more dollars out of the music industry. He'd been surprised to find legal papers on his doorstep just a week after Sam left. $5000 a month for 6 months. That was what she wanted in exchange for his freedom. It was well more than what he earned in his best year up until now. So he took a second job at the local bar on weekends to try and keep up. He'd called her after one month and told her that the kind of money she wanted just wasn't going to happen in Point Place. So she'd agreed to let him stretch out the payments, but the total was still $30,000.

He was so exhausted he almost fell asleep unlocking the door to the store. Behind him he heard a familiar giggle and tried to keep his temper under control.

"Donna, you and Randy need to find a new place to do it. Okay?" he said testily. "I'm trying to pay off Sam and having you two go at it in the store is bad for business."

"Jeez, Hyde, relax. We're just trying to keep things exciting in our relationship!" Donna retorted angrily.

She'd been bitchier than usual lately, even her listeners had noticed. Her time slot had been moved again, and now she had to show up at 4 a.m. to do the morning show 3 days a week. Which meant by noon she was out of the station and on Randy, who was supposed to be working.

"Well, he's not in until noon, so why don't you just-" Hyde stopped short as he realized something was off. "You know his schedule, Donna, why are you here at 6 a.m.? And why aren't you at work?"

Donna's smile slid off her face and she looked like she was going to cry.

"I got fired today," she said softly, "They said I didn't draw in listeners and they need something new and edgy. Plus, I'm sick of Randy right now. He's talking about moving to Minneapolis, and I don't think I want to go."

"Still doesn't explain why you're here, Donna," Hyde said, stonily.

He'd listened to her bitch and complain about this with Foreman, Casey, and now Randy. Nothing was ever good enough for her!

"I was just thinking, Hyde," she said, drawing closer to him, "that we never did get to explore our feelings for each other. Maybe what you and I need is a little one-on-one time. Just to unwind…" and she kissed him, hard and deeply.

Hyde stumbled back into the listening pit's couch, and abruptly leapt up.

"Donna, man, no. Just, no" he said, easing her off him and backing away. "I rode that ride with you, remember? I don't need a return trip."

Donna looked stung and hurt.

"So, what, I'm not good enough for the burnout ex-husband of a Vegas stripper?" she cried, "I…. I…." and she sank onto the floor sobbing her heart out. "What the hell is wrong with me?" she sobbed, "Why does everyone leave me?"

Hyde sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose to try and stave off the migraine he felt coming on and patted her on the shoulder.

"Donna, man, everyone doesn't leave you. You've still got Randy, and Bob, and the Foremans and me. We're all still here. So just calm down" he said in a flat voice. This was the second time this week she'd spouted this same sob story.

"Randy's leaving for Minneapolis. My Dad told me this week that he's tired of the winter here and he wants to move to Florida, and the Foremans haven't spoken to me since SHE left," she spat out.

Hyde stiffened at the venom in Donna's words. Almost reflexively he said, "So you think Jackie is the reason your life is going to crap?"

"Well, no shit, Hyde!" Donna yelled, "She gets all depressed because you and Sam are together and suddenly takes off for parts unknown! She didn't even say goodbye to me! And I was supposedly her 'best friend' according to her. Then you drove Sam off, so I've got nobody to talk to, and I know Kitty and Red blame me for Jackie leaving!"

"Look, Donna, I'm gonna say something. Just once, and then I don't want to ever have this conversation again. Because if I have to say it twice, I'm not going to be nice about it. So here it is- you and I are **absolutely** the reason Jackie left. We turned on her. I'm still not completely sure why I did, but I'd love to hear your excuse for hanging your best friend out to dry for a stripper you hardly knew. You used to give her such a hard time about her priorities, her superficiality, her personality, her intelligence…hell, I can't remember a time you actually gave her credit for anything! But hear me now- Jackie was **smart**. She was funny, she was driven and she was fucking fearless. Well… she was until I showed up. I put fear in her, I sowed the seeds of doubt by being who I was when we were together. Whenever she needed a little validation from me I made her feel worthless and needy for it. And when she and I both screwed up in Chicago, I could have been the man I should have been all along. Instead I rode my pity-train all the way to Vegas and brought hell back with me. And even after all we did to her- you, me, and Sam- she still kept trying to reach out to us. And that's what I realized a few days ago. We were so self-centered that we convinced ourselves that she loved us because we were better than her, that she needed us. The truth is that if our lives are crap, it's because we never bothered to be good to the people who were good to us. It was just easier to blame it on them than try."

Donna stared numbly into her hands. She was lost in the mix of Hyde's words and her own thoughts. The last year had been hell for her. The balance of power she'd always tried to maintain in her and Eric's relationship had shifted when he left for Africa. It was like he'd realized that he was worth a lot more than she had been giving him. She nearly choked when the epiphany struck her- she'd acted like Hyde to Eric. She'd kept him wanting, always making sure that he knew he 'didn't deserve' her, giving him just enough to keep him hanging on. But, like Jackie, he'd had his breaking point. She didn't know when exactly it had happened, but she had felt it when he said goodbye at the airport. He had kissed her, looked at his plane, and his eyes had lit up with a wild happiness. She'd been scared when she got home, had tried to be extra kind in the first recording Kitty made so he'd remember that she was far better than whatever new adventure he was having. But it hadn't worked. He'd ended their relationship just 2 months later.

"Yeah," Hyde nodded, like he'd just heard all her thoughts out loud, "So now that you get where I'm at, and where you're at, how about we agree to not fuck with each other's heads… or other parts?"

"Yeah, okay," she mumbled. She picked herself up off the floor and turned to go. "Hey Hyde,…" she started.

"What?" he asked.

"Do you think he'd ever take me back? If I showed him how sorry I was?" she asked.

Hyde took off his glasses and looked at her full in the face.

"The thing is, Donna, are you saying sorry so you can have him back? Or are you saying sorry so he can finally be happy? 'Cause he'll know the difference, even if you don't."

With that, she left. Unsure what Hyde meant, but determined to find out.

Hyde turned back to the store. He wanted to go over some numbers and see if a promotional sale would bring in some business from Kenosha. He just needed to get out from Sam's thumb. He needed to be free to start over again.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

January 1, 1981

"Happy New Year!" yelled Fez, tossing back another glass of champagne, and grabbing Brooke for a kiss. Brooke giggled as Fez missed her lips and kissed her shoulder. He was so drunk it was a wonder he hadn't grabbed Michael instead.

Eric was gazing around the room at the party scene, wishing desperately that he hadn't overheard Jackie's phone call in the kitchen. He was sick with worry about his little sister. They'd been out all week looking for an apartment to share and it wasn't going well. He'd been accepted to Northwestern after submitting his application during that first visit, but mid-year students were shit out of luck for dorm space. So, Jackie had given up her room and agreed to split the cost with Eric as long as it was within reason. Unfortunately, the pickings were slim, and even the rattiest apartments came at a premium right now. Jackie had kept the Lincoln when she sold the Burkhardt mansion, but Eric had left the Vista Cruiser with Kitty and Red. They needed something close to campus so they could minimize the commute. So Jackie had been on the phone with W.B., explaining the situation, and hoping he had a miracle stuffed up his sleeve.

He'd heard her trying to assure W.B. that they weren't "involved" like that; that this was a matter of practicality and family. It pained him to think W.B. thought Jackie would be dishonest. Plus, he was just plain worried about her health. She was skinnier than in September, and seemed more jaded. He wondered if "the year without love", as she coined it, was taking more of a toll on her than she'd admit.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Jackie walked back in and sat next to Eric. She patted his shoulder wearily and said, yawning, "W.B. agreed to front the cost for the first year for the 2 bedroom we found near campus. He knows we're not, like, together or anything, but I think he's worried that I'm pushing myself too hard. He was offering to pay for 2 separate studios, so I could have, you know, 'peace and quiet'. But I told him that having a roommate would easy some of my workaholic tendencies."

"Yeah," Eric sighed, "I get that. He's worried you'll burn out before…". He left the last part unsaid, afraid that voicing the endgame would jinx it.

Jackie nodded, too tired to continue. She had run herself down to the last frayed edge this semester, determined to pull off another 4.0 and reassure W.B. that she knew exactly what was at stake, and that she wouldn't let him down.

Her Criminal Justice professor and Investigative Journalism professor had both singled her papers out for excellence. Her piece on student visa exploitation by companies offering "internships" had been picked up by the Associated Press, and there were rumors that several companies were being investigated for unfair labor practices. Jackie had gotten her ear to the story when her Microeconomics study partner had collapsed in the library. Amina was from Sarajevo, in Yugoslavia. She was utterly gorgeous, spoke several languages, and took an instant liking to Jackie.

She would always tell her, "You have same features as my _sestra_ , Zaklin. Both of you, so _lijep_!" Eventually, "Zaklin" (Slavic for Jacqueline) was swapped out for the shortened "lije" (Lee-zhe) and that became Jackie's new nickname. Jackie smiled when she learned that _lijep_ meant "beautiful" in Bosnian.

Amina had told Jackie that a company near Northwestern had offered her an internship that provided room and board at a private dorm. Given the high cost to foreign students, Amina had jumped on the offer. Soon, however, it became clear that the PR firm who had hired Amina had no magnanimous intentions. Amina was required to submit her full class schedule, and found that she was scheduled to work more than 40 hours each week. When she protested, saying that she couldn't possibly work a full time job and carry a full class load, the company explained that they would rescind her "internship" and she'd be responsible for finding short-notice housing. So Amina had struggled along as best she could, often working far more than 40 hours per week. When she collapsed from exhaustion, Jackie had decided to put her acting skills to good work.

She'd affected an accent similar enough to Amina's and applied for an internship at the same company. Once they had a replacement for Amina, one they thought would be as easy to push around, they happily welcomed her aboard. It took everything Jackie had not to run through the office punching people the day before her story broke. She'd gathered file upon file of incriminating evidence, from withheld payroll taxes to falsified employee timecards, that by the time she had finished, the District Attorney would have a case gift wrapped for him should he so choose.

Amina had been granted temporary emergency housing by Northwestern, and was gradually recovering. She was supposed to be dropping in to the party, and Jackie was hoping to introduce her to Eric. Amina was kind, sensitive and thoughtful. _Just the right person for my kind-hearted big brother, she thought._

Just then the doorbell rang, as Kelso bounded over to open it, Jackie heard, "Lije? Sorry, I mean, is Jackie here?"

"Amina! I'm so glad you made it!" Jackie squealed, hugging her beautiful friend.

"Lije, of course! Now, you promised me a handsome man and a glass of champagne!" giggled Amina. Her eyes swept over a passed-out and drooling Fez and landed on Eric.

Jackie couldn't say for sure that sparks flew, but there was damn sure some electricity in the air that night.

Eric stood up so quickly that he nearly knocked Jackie over. "Hi! Hi…uh, I'm Eric I'm Backie's jother," he stuttered, "I mean, Jackie's brother" he grinned.

Amina smiled widely and said, "But you are the famous Eric! Lije has told me so much about you! She said you have been to Africa! You have to tell me EVERYTHING!"

And just like that, Jackie was left alone on New Year's Eve, again. But this time, she was perfectly okay with it. She wandered out onto Brooke's new home's expansive deck and looked up at the night sky. She thought of Steven, of holidays gone by, of her parents- both gone. Only Red and Kitty knew that Pam was dead. She'd received word via telegram that Pam had been found dead in her villa in Marseilles, likely a heart attack. Jackie had phoned the concierge and the morgue at the local hospital, asking that Pam's body be cremated and her ashes scattered at the beach. She smiled and looked up at the stars. Her mother would have loved that. Forever interred at a beautiful beach. Jack had passed away in prison shortly thereafter. She had no intention of claiming his body. The money he'd grifted from the town had caused serious havoc, and she felt that he deserved no more consideration than what he'd shown a town full of people who had trusted him. Steven had never bothered to ask about Pam or Jack. She wasn't sure if he ever found out…

Brooke wandered out and slipped an arm around her best friend. She had moved into this house just a month ago, under circumstances similar to what Jackie had faced. The house seemed so big and imposing when she'd stepped into it for the first time since she was a little girl. Brooke smiled down at Jackie and hugged her close. Jackie had convinced Michael to support Brooke in her decision to move in to the house. She'd pointed out that Brooke and Betsy had come back to Chicago in the first place so she could have a good childhood, and this house was part of that. It turned out to be the best thing they could have done. In a month of living in the house, it had become home. Michael was watching Betsy during the day while Brooke worked, and he really had a knack for parenting. Brooke was more relaxed when she came home now, and that made Michael more confident in his role as a stay-at-home dad. She knew she owed a lot of her present happiness to Jackie. Whatever she could do to pay her back later, she vowed to do.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Wisconsin

The sounds this girl was making were all wrong to Hyde. He just wanted to fuck someone, feel some kind of human interaction that came close to good. But something about this chick was just off.

"Just, try to keep it down, okay?" he said, between gasps. She was face deep in his crotch, making more noise than he thought was necessary.

"Whatever you want, baby" she said.

"I told you, don't call me that, ok?" he said tersely, shoving her off his lap.

She turned and shoved her breasts straight in his face, "Whatever. Are you going to fuck me, or not?" she said.

He threw her down on the bed and took a condom out of his dresser. He leaned over her and lightly bit her nipple, teasing it with his tongue and feeling his way down to her clit with his finger. She moaned loudly and grabbed his cock with her hand, "Enough with the teasing, sugar, just give it to me," she demanded.

Hyde thrust into her hard, setting a fast, pounding rhythm. She lifted her legs up onto his shoulders; she was certainly flexible, he'd give her that. As he pounded away at her, she screamed, "Harder…. Fuck…Oh God, Oh God…. Yes, Fuck me harder!"

Out of irritation, Hyde flipped her over to stifle the sound of her screams and pulled her ass up into the air. Pushing down on the back of her neck with one hand, he pounded into her swollen clit as hard as he could. Suddenly, the room vanished and he was looking at Jackie's back. The curve of her spine, her beautiful skin and long hair splayed out down her back. This was what he had been going for, that moment right before he came where he could picture her again.

He came hard and loud, and realized that he'd been pushing whats-her-name's face into the pillow for a while. He let go quickly and she sucked in a deep breath, red-faced, and said, "That was intense, baby, I blacked out! Let's try that again! But this time, you should choke me! Hang on, I think I saw some scarves in your closet!"

Hyde crawled off the bed in a hurry. "Um, thanks, but I've got an early morning and I need to get some sleep. Thanks for the great time, uh…." He was drawing a blank on her name…

"Oh, okay! Well, I guess I should get going. And my name's Caroline, remember?" she said and flounced out of his apartment.

Hyde shook his head and laid across his messy bed. He was so tired. He just wanted to wake up tomorrow and have it be 1978 again. He just wanted her to be here. Turning over he lifted the phone off its cradle and called W.B.

"Hello?"

"Hey, W.B., how are you?"

"Good, Steven, but it's past midnight on New Year's Eve. Why don't I hear the crazy sounds of a party or a club?"

"Gotta get up early for the store, man. I'm close to paying off Sam, and it feels like I might be getting a lead on Jackie soon. I just need to stay focused."

"Son, you need to rest and recharge. You're going to have a heart attack before you're 22! Look, I'll pay Sam the rest and we'll call it a Christmas bonus, okay?"

"No. W.B., I gotta do this. Just me. This is how I'm gonna start over. By owning my own mistakes."

There was a deep sigh on the other end of the line, "Alright, son, if that's how you feel. I'm just worried that at this rate you're gonna crash and burn pretty hard."

"I know. I've just gotta hang on a little while longer. I'll see you this weekend, Pop."

"Okay, Happy New Year's son."

"Happy New Year's, Dad."

Steven hung up the phone and finally fell asleep. He was so close. Just a few more months, and he'd be done with Sam forever.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

January 1, 1981

The flashing lights were everywhere. Hyde could hardly make out where they were coming from. The whole of Point Place Fire and Police departments must be headed towards or at wherever the disaster was. As he pulled out of the bakery with coffee and donut in hand he smiled at his dream from the night before. It was a favorite memory of his- this special one with Jackie.

 _Red had gotten her a beautiful necklace for graduation. Hyde didn't know it, but she'd been salutatorian. She'd also gotten the highest score on the SATs in her class. He hadn't known that either, he thought sadly, because he'd never asked. But when Red gave it to her, he'd had an idea. So one night, when she was asleep he'd put it in his jacket. The next day, as she frantically searched the basement for it, he'd slipped off to the mall to have it engraved._

" _I'll be with you always, dollface."_

 _He'd meant it, too. He loved her, he just was too immature to say it. He'd also taken her favorite photo of them and had Leo shrink it at the Fotohut. Then he'd cut their faces out and attached them inside the locket so they were always smiling at each other. When he got home that night, she was in tears. He felt slightly guilty at her panic attack, then more so when she started apologizing for ruining their day by losing her necklace._

" _Hey, don't worry, baby" he said softly in her ear as he hugged her, "I think I know how to cheer you up."_

 _She looked up at him with an almost resigned look in her eye and started to head for the bedroom in the basement._

 _He had stopped her short, the guilt absolutely crushing him that she had taken what he said that way._

" _Baby, no. I mean I have a real present for you. I'm sorry I had to trick you, but I wanted it to be a surprise."_

 _She lifted an eyebrow as he reached in his jacket and withdrew the locket she loved so much._

 _It was the first time she'd ever been speechless._

 _She just reached out and held the locket close to her heart._

" _Read it, doll" he said, "I had it engraved and I made sure it wasn't empty anymore."_

 _She turned it over and he saw her whole soul light up as she read the inscription. It was the best he'd ever felt. Like he'd done something so very right it couldn't be undone. Then she opened the locket and slowly shook her head._

" _What? You don't want that picture? I can find a-" he started to say, but she just closed the locket and put it over her heart._

" _No, Puddin', it's perfect. Just perfect. Thank you, Steven" she whispered and wrapped herself into his arms._

The flashing lights had snapped him out of his happy reverie. He saw with a scream of panic that all the lights were parked right outside Grooves.

Or what had been Grooves….

Now, it was just a pile of smoldering ash and smoked vinyl.

Hyde jumped out of the Camino and raced to the boundary tape. Kelso's former police sergeant was standing there and motioned him over.

"Mr. Hyde, I'm so sorry. By the time the fire department got here, it was out of control."

"What the hell happened?" Hyde choked out.

"Well, normally I'd tell you that it'll take a few weeks to get the investigation done, but fortunately we had a witness to the whole thing."

"Really? Then WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?" Hyde yelled.

"Sir, do you know a woman by the name of Caroline-" started the sergeant, but the rest of his sentence was drowned out by Hyde's scream. In the sergeant's hand was a baggie with a heart shaped note pad that said, "The name's Caroline, remember?" and "Caroline Hyde" had been written all over the rest of the paper.

Crazy Caroline had torched Grooves, and Hyde was watching his life's work go up in smoke.

* * *

Back in Evanston

Amina rolled over and gave a small frightened squeak. A curly haired little munchkin was staring her straight in the eye as she lay on the Kelso's couch.

"Oh, hello, _mali_ _ša_!" said Amina, using the Bosnian term for "little one".

"I not Melissa, I Betsy!" said the sweet cherub. She blinked her big blue eyes at Amina and then smiled a toothy grin.

"Betsy, do you know where _Lije_ … I mean Jackie, is?"

"She upstairs wif Mommy!"

"Wonderful, thank you, Betsy," Amina smiled at her. A tanned, slightly muscular arm reached across her body just then and pulled her into a spooned position.

"Amina," said Eric, sleepily, "just let them rest. Everybody had a long night. Betsy, you can have as much candy and juice as you want, if you'll just go watch cartoons in the basement."

Amina snuggled back into Eric's chest. They had talked into the early hours, of Africa, of Sarajevo, of his dreams and hers. Amina felt happy and content. _This must be what love at first sight feels like, she thought._

Eric pulled Amina a little closer to him. She had lit a fire in him last night. Her beauty was breathtaking, but she was also smart, well-travelled and adventurous. She had listened to his stories of Swaziland, of the Reed Festival, and of the terrifying new disease making its way across the south of Africa. She'd listened and comforted him as he expressed his fear for the people of that tiny nation, and he'd listened to her tell stories of Bosnia.

She'd been lucky, she said, to leave when she did. Josep Tito, Yugoslavia's leader since WWII had died just a few months after she arrived at Northwestern. The country was already in severe economic hardship, and she was sure that war would soon follow. She was safe for the moment, but her younger sister was still in Sarajevo with her parents. Moreover, her father was Muslim. Eric wasn't entirely sure what that meant. He'd heard it mentioned during World History in high school, but he didn't have the nerve to interrupt Amina and ask her to explain. It seemed to worry her, though.

They had talked until they couldn't stall any longer, then kissed each other on the patio on that freezing Chicago night. Amina and Eric had fallen in love, and fallen asleep that way too.

From the upstairs bannister, Jackie smiled down at her brother and her friend. She felt sure that the universe was giving her a sign that things were looking up. That she was on the right path. Watching Eric find happiness was almost as good as falling in love with…but she stopped her thoughts cold. She needed to stay focused. W.B. seemed to think Steven was heading off a cliff, he'd mentioned it during that first meeting. He'd said that he'd been where Steven was- lost the love of his life, full of self-hatred and loathing- and that it had nearly cost him his life.

He was convinced that Jackie would be the thing that stopped Steven's descent. He said that she just needed to find herself first, really feel strong in who she was, and then she'd be ready.

She'd protested at first, saying that all Steven had to do was give her any hint that he wanted her and she wouldn't have to leave at all! But W.B. had lain down a truth so cold it still gave Jackie chills to remember it:

" _No, Jackie. Not like this. You could go back tomorrow. You could go back in 6 months. Hell, Sam will probably be gone in 3! But if you go back before you find out how tough and amazing you can be, he'll drag you down into that black hole with him and eventually we'll both lose him forever. I don't want to lose my son, Jackie. I want him to live a long, happy life. But he's got to hit bottom and look up and see you, and then he's got to want to climb out of that pit himself. You'll be there, of course, stronger and more prepared. But if he knows you're helping him, he'll just keep falling back in. Trust me, sweetheart. I've watched this happen. Hell, I barely survived this when I did it."_

Jackie had believed W.B., but she still wanted to know his story. Maybe her professors were right about her. Maybe she was just born to dig up the whole story.

She sighed and turned back to the guest room. She and Eric would move into the new apartment in a few days and term started the week after that. Hopefully, Amina would spend plenty of time at their new place. Jackie wanted to expand her "forever family" just a bit more.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

February 14, 1981

"Mr. Hyde, I'm sorry, there's truly nothing I can do!" said the pale and shaking young lady behind the desk, "Mr. Albright reviewed your policy and it only covers what was inside the structure, not the building itself!"

Hyde was shaking with anger. In the immediate aftermath of the fire he'd phoned W.B. first, then his insurance agent, then Red Foreman. For some reason, he felt like two dads were better than one in this particular case. W.B. had assured him that all Grooves stores were covered under a blanket policy and that the store could be rebuilt in a few months, the insurance policy could be used to repurchase inventory and equipment, while the corporate policy would handle the rebuild.

Sitting in the insurance office later that week, the agent nervously explained that because Hyde had been named a part-owner he was responsible for 50% of the rebuild cost of the property to the lot owner. W.B.'s chain-store policy covered the stores he owned outright at 100%, but only half of Hyde's. So now Hyde needed to come up with $250,000 to rebuild his store. This was a nightmare of epic proportions.

Sam had started calling about her money. She warned him that she'd make good on her threat. So with his last payment he sent her a copy of the newspaper article about Crazy Caroline and the Grooves fire. Sam hadn't called again, but Hyde was sure that as soon as he got back on his feet she'd find her way back.

There were no two ways about it, Hyde was in trouble. No store meant no income, no income meant no future, no future meant….

Hyde didn't want to think about this. He left the office, slamming the door and tipping over the water cooler on his way out. _I hope it floods their office, he thought ruefully._

Driving down Green Bay Rd. he pulled into a dive bar he knew too well and ordered up a flight of shots. He had the bartender turn the radio to the hockey game and proceeded to drink until his brain shut off. He woke up in the dark and the cold, laying across the seat of his Camino. The bartender had put his wallet on the floorboard and covered him up with a blanket from the backseat. It was the goose down duvet Jackie had given him. He'd bunched it up behind the seats when Sam came, and forgotten it was there.

As he pressed his face into the blanket he breathed in the familiar scent of jasmine and lavender. He couldn't believe it still lingered after nearly 2 years. His breath caught in his chest and he shut his eyes tightly.

Quietly, he whispered to the darkness, "Jackie, please, if you can hear me. I'm so messed up. I'm so fucked. Please come back. I swear I'll do better." He breathed out and let a few hot tears trickle out of his eyes. Then, he passed out again, welcoming the dark and the nothingness.

* * *

June 5, 1981

Evanston, Illinois

"Eric! It's GORGEOUS!" Jackie shrieked, "Holy shit! How did you afford it?" Jackie was gazing at a huge diamond ring in a white gold band. It had to be 2 carats, and sparkled like…well, a diamond!

"Well, actually, I found it" Eric said, lamely, "No, seriously! I had a week of vacation and I ended up going to the Northern Cape in South Africa. They were giving tours of the Kimberley Diamond Mine and I literally kicked this big chunk of rock over and this was stuck to my shoe tread. Well, obviously it was covered in dirt and mud, but I had it cleaned and cut and it was just so beautiful."

"When are you going to ask her?" Jackie asked, breathless with excitement for her brother and her friend.

"Well, actually, I was going to suggest we all meet up with my parents for July 4th. That way she can meet them, and then I was going to ask her after the fireworks. What do you think?"

"Eric, that's perfect! Except for one thing. WHERE are we going to meet Red and Kitty?" she said, her eyes narrowing.

"Look, I know we can't go back to Point Place. But I was thinking of having them come to Chicago. We can go to the Lake and watch the big fireworks show, and Red and Kitty can stay with the Kelsos" he said hurriedly, not wanting to upset the midget with fists of fury.

"Oh. Well, that sounds great!" She exclaimed, dancing off down the hall to her room.

Eric looked down at the ring. The last 6 months with Amina were the happiest of his life. She pushed him, but gently and with love, to be better than he thought he could be. She had persuaded him to take some computer science courses, and he was surprised to find that he was quite good at it. He was thinking of getting into the tech industry, maybe developing some new software of his own. All because she noticed his "eye for detail and patterns" when they were talking one night about an economics riddle she'd been trying to solve. He'd had no clue how to solve the complex math problem she was working on, but he'd noticed a pattern of numbers and equations that kept coming up. When he pointed it out to her, she'd been able to solve it in a few minutes. They'd split a bottle of wine that night, and she'd even stayed over.

He thought back to his disastrous first engagement and near wedding. Donna had seemed so upset the first night and day after he left. Strangely, though, she seemed happiest when their relationship went back to its usual state of imbalance. She'd played the part of the forgiving martyr because it gave her leverage, and he'd gone back to licking her shoes.

It was the "year off" that had given him the time and space to watch his relationship as though from a distance. He started to see how dysfunctional he and Donna were. How neither of them was bettering the other, or even attempting to anymore. He wasn't blameless, he knew it. He'd been so cossetted in middle America that he'd never felt the fire that sparked success. Thankfully, the Swazi people and his time in Africa had renewed him. He was sure that Donna had found her spark, too. Hopefully, she and Randy were on their way to happiness and more.

Eric scanned his desk photos. A Polaroid that of he and Amina at the park that Jackie had taken in between highlighting reading passages. A black and white candid photo that Jackie had snapped during a weekend at the Kelso's house. It was his favorite. W.B. had given Jackie a Nikon camera for Christmas. She'd bought 3 different kinds of film and spent the next week taking hundreds of photos. During Spring Break she, Amina and Eric had spent the weekend with Brooke and Michael, just relaxing and enjoying each other's company. Amina had been sitting on the couch, legs curled up, her head resting on Eric's chest. One of his arms was resting around her, and their free hands were held together in his lap. She was looking at his hand, and he was smiling down at her. Jackie had captured a moment of pure joy, love, and contentment, and it washed over him every time he saw the photo.

He called Red and Kitty that day and told them to come to Chicago for July 4th. He assured them they'd love the show and that Brooke would make them welcome.

Then he took a deep breath and called a number he hadn't thought of for nearly 2 years.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Donna?" he asked, not entirely sure it was her.

"Oh my god! Eric!" yelped Donna, nearly dropping the receiver, "Where are you? You just left last year after saying hi to your parents! I mean, I wanted to catch up with you!" She said nervously, twirling the cord around her fingers. _Play it cool, Pinciotti, you need to make him want you again._

"Yeah, I'm sorry it was such a short visit, but I…" he trailed off, not quite sure what to say. It seemed cruel to say that he left because he'd seen the people he really wanted to see, and that she wasn't one of them. "Donna, listen, I just wanted to call and let you know that I'm happy you're with Randy and that you've moved forward in your life. It makes me happy that you've found someone who complements you so well." _There, nice and simple, no need to get into the heavy stuff._

"Eric, I-" she started to interrupt, not really knowing what she should say. Technically she was still seeing Randy, well, still fucking Randy. But if she wanted Eric back, she'd need to appear vulnerable.

"No, please, this is harder than it should be. I wanted to let you know," he said, taking a deep breath "I met someone here at Nor—at school. Her name is Amina and she's a friend of Ja.. well, a friend of a friend of mine." _Get your shit together, Foreman, you let this slip and Jackie will castrate you._ He took another breath. "Donna, she's everything to me. I'm going to ask her to marry me, and I just wanted to let you know. And I'm sorry for not sticking around to see you last fall. I came back from Africa and home just wasn't home anymore. I needed to let you guys move on and be happy."

There was a solid minute of dead silence after he said it.

"Hello? Donna?"

"Sorry, Eric, that's… that's great to hear," she half sobbed into her sleeve, "I hope you two will be very happy together." _Shit! Now what do I do?_

"Thanks, Donna, that means a lot. Listen, we're telling my folks on July 4th when they come to visit us," he said.

"Oh?! I thought Red and Kitty were going to be with Brooke and Kelso on the 4th? I was just over at your house and your mom was super excited about it," she laughed a little. _Come on, Eric, just give me a hint._

"Uh, yeah, we're meeting them there, too. We figured it'd be nice for everyone to have a little vacation."

"Well, that's great! Listen, Eric, are you still in touch with Jackie?" Donna asked. If she was going to go balls out she'd need some help, and to get some help, she'd need a BIG lure.

"Um, I haven't heard from her in quite a while, Donna. She didn't leave any information when she left, did she?" he batted her question back at her.

"Well, no. It's just that Hyde's in bad shape, but none of us know how to get in touch with her. I know they parted on bad terms, but I think she should know. If you see her or talk to her can you just pass along the message?"

"Sure, I'll tell her next time I see her" Eric assured her. Completely unaware that he'd just tripped the land mine.

"Great! Well, congratulations again, Eric. She's a lucky lady!"

"Thanks, Donna. Take care of yourself. Bye."

Donna hung up the phone and let her brain spin through a few plans. Eric had said he'd "see" her. Which meant it was likely they lived in the same town, maybe close by. Now all she needed to do was figure out where Eric was going to school. If she could get that info, she could use it to get Hyde to help her. All she needed was a way to snoop in the Foreman's for an hour or so. Kitty and Red had been tight-lipped about Eric's college, and their relationship had become so frosty that small talk was non-existent.

"Hey Dad!" she called downstairs.

"Yeah, pumpkin?" Bob answered.

"Why don't you and the Foremans head out to dinner at The Vineyard tonight? I hear it's prime rib night!"

"That sounds like a great idea!" Bob ambled upstairs, smiling broadly. "You want to come along, sweetie? My treat!"

"Nah, thanks Dad. I think I'm just going to go through want ads and update my resume."

"Kiddo, it's been 9 months. Why don't you go back to school? I've got plenty of money. I can send you anywhere you want!"

Donna hesitated. Her dad had been on this college kick since January. He'd never given up on her being a college graduate. He hadn't known she was barely passing classes at community college. She was fine as a big fish in a small pond, like Point Place High. But even Madison seemed like an over-reach after what happened here. But maybe she could use it to her advantage…

"You know what, Dad? I think you're right. I'm going to start looking at different colleges. I'll start reading some of the brochures and making a list. Only, could you see if Red and Kitty have some? I've only got Minnesota and Wisconsin here," she said, making a pouty face at her father.

"No problem, Kitten," he said, "Well, I'd best be off! Gotta get there early if I want the good cut of meat and the fresh rolls!"

As Bob skipped downstairs, Donna smiled to herself. Eric was meant to be with her. He'd been in love with her since they were 5; she just had to remind him that she was who he really loved. This Amina girl was probably just a distraction. Knowing Eric she was probably a little wallflower from Indiana who made him feel like a He-Man. Well, she could top that without trying. Come July 4th she'd be the best surprise present Eric didn't know he wanted.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

June 5, 1981

"Donna, I'm home!" called Bob. He'd enjoyed that dinner more than he thought he would. Red and Kitty had been in a great mood, and Red even let Bob have the extra roll at dinner. He'd mentioned that he needed more college brochures for Donna and asked if they had any laying around the house. Kitty had promised to bring them over first thing next morning.

As he headed upstairs, Bob heard an angry voice coming from Donna's room. He leaned his head close to the door and used his afro to cushion his ear.

"Look, Hyde, I found the brochures at Red and Kitty's house. I know where he's going to school. And you know he knows where Jackie is. You help me with Foreman, and I'll make sure you see the midget princess again."

Bob had to take a step back. He was not a stupid man, whatever people might say. He knew that Jackie and Eric had taken great pains to not be found. He still wasn't completely sure on the reasons why, but he felt sure his daughter was interfering in ways she shouldn't. Besides, he'd seen Hyde just 2 days ago, and he wouldn't let him within 100 miles of Jackie. Hell, _he_ didn't want to be within 100 miles of the train wreck that Steven Hyde appeared to be.

Bob went back downstairs. He needed to think, and to think, he was going to need a lot of fried chicken.

* * *

June 18th

Point Place City Jail

Steven Hyde was enjoying the quality amenities of Point Place Police Department's municipal lockup. Again.

Still, the bed was mostly warm, and nobody bothered him since nobody really wanted to know what that smell was. He woke up in a dark cell, a plastic bottle of water sitting next to the cot. As he tried to sit up, his muscles shook from the incarceration-imposed detox. Normally he didn't go more than an hour without a drink, a hit, or… well, something else. But this last bender had been one for the ages.

Ever since Donna's phone call he'd been "self-medicating" himself into a dark hole. He'd woken up in the Camino, having whispered his most fervent prayer to the universe, and found himself utterly alone except for a goose down duvet. The reality had hit him like a ton of bricks. She was gone. And she wasn't coming back for him.

He'd managed to look respectable for a few months. Managed to keep himself from being known as the town's drunk hobo. Then Donna called. She'd found Eric, and she was pretty sure he was with Jackie, or near her anyway. She wanted his help in getting Eric back. He told her he wasn't interested, but that night, as memories of Jackie flooded his mind, with no store to work in, no job to perform and no home to go back to, he'd sent himself on a tear that would put Mick Jagger to shame.

He'd woken up in his Camino a few times. Driven it to the next bar. Fallen asleep again. Woken up. Repeat. Then he went to Jackie's old house. He'd stared at her bedroom window, remembering the first night they'd had sex.

 _Jackie looked back at Steven, standing in the doorway, and reached her hand back to him. "Please stay, Steven. I've missed you so much."_

 _It was just after the Valentine's dance. He didn't expect her to want their first time to be tonight, but he'd missed her too so he followed her, trying to repress the desire that grew when they were alone. They climbed the stairs to her cavernous bedroom, and she excused herself to the bathroom while Hyde stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed. He set his glasses down and closed his eyes, enjoying the smell of her room and the peace of the empty house._

 _The door to the bathroom opened and Jackie stood, naked, framed in the light of the doorway. Steven's mouth dropped open at the sight of her. She was absolutely breathtaking. She walked over quietly and silently slipped on top of him. Kissing him gently on the lips, she whispered, "I'm ready, baby. I just want to be with you."_

 _He pulled her tight into his body and kissed her as deeply and passionately as he could. He let his hands roam gently over every surface of her body. Her skin was smooth and soft. He traced the curves of her buttocks and her hips before returning his attention to her breasts._

 _Softly, he took each nipple into his mouth. Kissing, then gently biting, until they were hard and raised. Her soft breathing and moans had made him fully hard and he didn't know how long he'd actually last like this. He kissed her throat and let his hands spread her legs apart. Still lying beneath her, he used his thumb to massage her clit while his middle finger probed her wet interior._

 _She'd let loose with a low growl and he'd flipped her over immediately. Leaning his full weight on her, he'd entered her quickly, concentrating hard on controlling himself. She felt like heaven to him. Slowly, he worked from shallow to deep thrusts letting her climax twice before he began his assault on her._

 _He drove himself into her, not wanting to stop. "God, Steven, harder…. Harder… Fuck!" she'd screamed, and he'd obeyed. His deep, hard thrusts were driving them to orgasms neither had ever experienced. Just when he thought he'd reached his limit, he opened his eyes and saw her staring back at him. As he kept up his pace, she reached up with both hands and placed them on either side of his face. As he came, she drew him into a kiss at the same time she drew her legs up around his hips. Hyde's shaft was buried completely inside her, and the intensity of his orgasm shocked him. For a few minutes after he couldn't move. He brought his arms around and underneath her and pressed her to him. Silent, hot tears left his eyes and vanished into her hair and pillow._

 _She'd made love to him. She'd broken him._

" _I love you, Steven." She whispered in his ear._

 _He couldn't say anything. The words wouldn't come out._

 _She sighed and pressed her hands to his chest, "That's fine, Steven. You'll say it when you can."_

There in the darkness, drunk and heartbroken, he'd wanted to shout at his younger self. Wanted to rage at the kid who'd been so careless with his most precious gift. So he'd picked up the heaviest rock he could see, and thrown it straight through her bedroom window.

 _Whoops._

And now here he was. Sick, shaking, detoxing, and crying on the edge of a jail cot. What a life.

"Hyde, bail's been made" said the guard, "Get your stuff together. We'll be back in 5 minutes to escort you out."

Hyde stood and made sure he was wearing all his clothing. No belt, and no boots. Probably with the holding officer. He went over to the small sink and splashed water on himself. The guard came back with his belt and boots, and the number of the Betty Ford Clinic. Hyde smirked and pocketed the card.

As he made his way to processing to retrieve his belongings he heard a familiar voice that filled him with dread.

* * *

Back in Evanston

Eric hung up the phone feeling like his life was finally coming together. He was doing well at college, he had Amina, and now his parents would finally see that he would be okay in life. He knew Red worried about him. Worried that he'd forever be that Midwestern milquetoast with no backbone or skills to make it through life. It pained him a little to admit that Red probably hadn't been wrong on those assumptions when he was a kid. But Red hadn't been there in Swaziland. He hadn't seen what Eric had seen- death, poverty, and desperation that threatened to consume a whole people. Still, just when Eric had been about to call his advisor and tell him he couldn't take another minute, one of the widows from Mbabane- the capital- had come to talk to him.

 _The woman was barely 40, yet she had 4 children of her own, raising the 8 combined orphans from her brother, sister and in-laws and she was asking him when school would be starting. She was hoping that all 12 children could attend during the day._

" _Make, I don't know if we should continue," he said, using the deferential title of Mother, "The children have been burying relatives all week, the drought has made your crops difficult to farm, and… maybe it would be best for everyone to just rest for a bit," he said._

 _The matriarch had looked at him with old eyes in her youngish face. She'd seen what death and famine could do to a person who'd never experienced it. "Mr. Eric," she said, in a gentle but firm tone, "you came here to help us. Your job is to teach my children. If we stop trying to do better because we are sad, then we are all doomed."_

 _Eric felt so weak from shame he could hardly look her in the eyes. He had been moments from throwing in the towel because it was too hard on him. He finally lifted his chin and returned a smile to her, "Of course, Make, you are right. We will begin again on Monday. In the meantime, can you ask the other families if they could use a hand on days with no school? I would like to learn farming and help however I can."_

She'd agreed to ask around and before his year was over, Eric had become fairly adept at planting and sowing. He'd come far too close to a hippopotamus during an irrigation pipe-laying expedition and was certain they were the most terrifyingly misunderstood creatures on Earth. There was nothing gentle or cow-like about them. He'd assiduously avoided the river since then. He'd helped build an addition onto the schoolhouse outside Mbabane, though, and never felt more useful in his life.

Every few days a new letter would arrive from Jackie. Sometimes, when there was a funny story, he'd read it to the class. The kids in Swaziland heard about 'The Adventures of Fez and Jackie' like he'd read about Archie and Jughead. When things were very tough, Eric would pull out special stories from his past. He'd told them all about Michael Kelso, the village idiot who kept falling off the water tower. That series of stories had the entire class in tears from laughter, and when Eric turned around, he'd seen quite a few parents doubled over as well. One man was making wild gestures very like Kelso whenever he fell, and Eric had been unable to contain his laughter at the sight.

He looked up to see Jackie dropping what looked like every library book ever onto the dining room table. She looked harried and stressed.

"What's up, Jackie?" he asked, concerned. She didn't usually show such high anxiety this early in a term, and summer classes had barely started.

"Oh my god, Eric, I need to get ahead in my classes if I'm going to take off for July 4th!" she shrieked, slightly panicked.

"Calm down, Jackie, it's only one weekend!" Eric retorted, "Look, the 4th is a Saturday. We'll spend Sunday with Red and Kitty and be back in Evanston by Sunday evening."

Jackie took a few deep breaths. She knew he was right; she was panicking for no reason. She stared at the mountain of books she'd checked out. Finally, plucking the largest from the pile- a book on the American war on communism, she said, "I know, you're totally right. I'll just get started on this while I relax in the bathtub. Oh! Amina said she hopes you're finished with your algorithm homework. She's coming over in a half hour to fix you dinner."

Eric smiled and waved Jackie off into her solitude. Amina had been cooking a lot lately. She seemed to want to show Eric that she cared about him as a whole person, not just a boyfriend.

Thirty minutes later the doorbell rang and Amina came in with 2 full sacks of groceries. " _Dušo,_ " she called, "can you help please? I left the wine in the car!"

By the time Eric got back upstairs, she already had sausages out marinating in something that smelled heavenly and was busily chopping onions, spinach and herbs. "What's on the menu tonight, my love?" he asked, slipping his arms around her waist and breathing in her clean, soft smell.

"Ćevapi, with baklava for dessert," she answered, turning to face him and kissing him fully. For a few minutes, the food was forgotten as she and Eric leaned into each other and kissed each other more passionately. As his pants began to grow tighter he forced himself to end the blissful entanglement and smiled happily at her. She hadn't given him any indication on how she felt about sex, so he didn't intend to push her. He also wasn't entirely sure how she would react if he brought it up.

"And maybe," she whispered in his ear, "you can have some Amina for a midnight snack?" She drew back and looked hungrily into his eyes. Eric was surprised he didn't throw all Jackie's books off the table and take Amina right there. Still, trying valiantly to hold himself together he looked back at her and said, "I'll probably be back for seconds and thirds."

After dinner was cleared away, Jackie excused herself to take a walk down to The Deuce to meet up with another friend from her Political Geography class. Amina laid her hand Eric's thigh and said, "Maybe we don't waste this opportunity?".

In seconds, Eric had lifted her off the floor in a tight embrace and kissed her furiously. They half stumbled, half ran to the bedroom, Eric silently thanking his lucky stars that he'd changed the sheets this morning. Once Amina had reached the room, she'd turned quickly and begun to unzip her skirt. Eric caught her hand, bringing her face up to his and kissing her again, softer but deeper this time. Slowly, he unbuttoned her blouse and lifted it off her shoulders letting it drop to the floor. Then, blinking to adjust his eyes to the semi-darkness, he gazed at her chest. She was exquisite. Her breasts were heaving with anticipation and Eric felt himself become fully hard noticing the movement. He slowly unzipped her skirt and let it fall, too. Underneath she'd been wearing a pair of small white cotton underwear, and he deftly removed them as he sank to his knees.

Easing her backwards to the bed he pushed her gently so that her legs were hanging off the edge. Leaning forward he slowly parted her labia with his fingers and let his tongue lick the interior. Hearing her gasp and feeling her hips buck toward him, he pressed more urgently into her. Finding her clit with his tongue he alternated between a hard, firm press and several quick flicks of his tongue. Her cries of ecstasy were coming faster, and as her hips lifted off the bed she let go a small release of wetness into Eric's mouth.

Smiling, he picked her up and moved her back on the bed. She reached up and tore his shirt off over his head. He quickly removed his jeans and boxers and lay on top of her, a bit unsure of what to do next. Donna had always been on the Pill, but he didn't want to assume with Amina. Amina reached to his bedside table and pulled a condom out of the drawer.

Raising an eyebrow at her, she said, "I asked Jackie to leave some in there for us, so we wouldn't have to wait."

Quickly, Eric pulled the condom out of the package and onto his penis. Then slowly, he entered her. Amina grasped his shoulders and pulled him fully inside her. Her eyes closed, she moaned and whispered, "Deep and hard, Eric. I want to feel all of you."

Eric pulled out almost all the way and thrust into Amina with such force that she whimpered a little. Clutching his back with her nails as a sign of assent, he continued. Pounding into her swollen clit a little faster and harder each time. Within minutes Eric could tell he was at his breaking point. Faster and faster he plowed into her until at last he came saying, "God, I love you Amina!"

Amina pulled him in close and kissed him on the lips gently. "I love you, too, Eric."

Wrapped up tightly, the two of them fell asleep for a few hours, waking up near midnight to relive the experience with more time to explore each other. By morning, both she and Eric were thoroughly exhausted.

"I'm going to make us some coffee," she said, "Would you like pancakes, too?"

"I'd love some, sweetheart," Eric said, "But you don't have to do all that, let me take you to breakfast instead."

" _Neh, dušo,"_ she replied, "I like to cook. It reminds me of home, and I don't think I will be going back there for a long time."

Eric watched her get dressed and pondered what she'd said. He'd met a Greek guy in his Calculus class whose parents were still in Greece. He asked about Yugoslavia and the guy had mentioned that since Tito's death- Tito had been the dictator of Yugoslavia since World War II- the country was facing a low level of civil war. The separate states had been united largely because of Tito, and now their radically different ethnic groups were beginning to clash. The Greek guy had also said that the Bosnians were likely to suffer the most. When Eric had pressed for more information, the boy had simply said that he would have to ask a Bosnian to really understand.

Slipping into comfortable clothes, Eric made his way to the kitchen where Amina was dishing out pancakes to Jackie and pouring a giant cup of coffee for herself. Clearing his throat Eric asked, "Amina, sweetie, what's going on in Yugoslavia? Why don't you think you'll be able to go back to visit?"

Jackie looked up at him sharply, her fork suspended in mid-air with pancake syrup dripping onto the table. He tried to read her expression, but she simply nodded tersely as if to say " _Tread lightly, big brother. Touchy subject."_

Amina kept her back to them while she watched the pancakes bubble and brown. Flipping them over she said quietly, "I think the people who are taking over do not like Bosnians. I know they do not like Muslims. I was going to go home for summer, but my Papa said it is getting worse. He told me to make a life here, and maybe they could send my little sister to be with me. She will be 13 this winter, and I miss her very much."

Eric felt he'd intruded on her pain enough for today. He sat down and said, "Amina, I'd love to have your whole family come here. Anytime."

She whirled around, spatula in hand, and said, "Oh, Eric, really? You know my father is a Muslim…" she trailed off, unsure if she'd said the wrong thing.

Eric put up a hand to ease her mind, "Amina, I read some books in the library, and I don't care if your father is Santa Claus, Jewish, Muslim or Jedi. He matters to you, your family matters to you, so they matter to me." He said it simply and confidently, as though it were an obvious truth that any good man would see. Jackie was so proud of him. She knew how worried Amina was about Eric finding out how different they were.

Amina nodded with happy tears and a giant smile. She turned to finish the pancakes and Jackie could see her wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She nudged Eric, "That was great, Eric. You probably made her summer."

Eric looked back at Jackie, "Not yet, munchkin. Not yet I haven't." He was determined that in a few weeks, Amina would be so happy her soul would light the Chicago skyline up.

* * *

Point Place

"So, Hyde, don't you have something to say to me?"

Steven turned around to see Donna Pinciotti standing arms-crossed next to the property clerk's cage. As he grabbed his possessions off the counter and signed for them, he thought about what he should say.

"Why'd you bail me out?" he finally asked. Between curiosity and gratitude, he figured at least curiosity might give him something in return.

"Because," She said, as though that would suffice. When Hyde continued to look at her, she rolled her eyes and continued. "Because I need you to help me get Eric back, and this way, you owe me one."

Hyde considered what she was saying. She knew he couldn't stand being in someone's debt. He wouldn't let that kind of relationship exist. People were supposed to owe him favors, not the other way around.

"Okay, so you got me," he said, walking towards the exit, "What do you need my help for? Foreman hasn't talked to me since he left in January. Don't think he wants to now."

"No," she acknowledged, "but I did leave him with the distinct picture of what you've become. And if there's one thing Eric won't stand for, it's watching you throw yourself into the black hole of your genetics."

Damn. When Donna wanted to she could cut down to the bone. Hyde sighed, "Okay, so you ratted me out to Foreman, how does this change things?"

"Because, Tipsy, I told him to pass along the message to Jackie."

"You did WHAT?!" he rounded on her, eyes furious and wild, "Jesus, Donna, why the fuck would you do that? I don't want her to see me like this! I don't want her to see me at all! I want her to stay wherever the hell she is and move on so I can drink myself to death in peace!" he spat out.

Donna took a few steps back, a little scared. She took a deep breath and held her hands up, "Look, Hyde, she could never stay away from you when you were hurting. It's in her nature to try and fix you. If she thinks you're in danger, or dying, she'll come running. And while she's busy cooing over you, fixing your shit, she can't run interference between me and Eric. I just need a few days to show him what he's missing and he'll remember that we're supposed to be together."

Hyde looked at Donna disgustedly, "Donna, man, you're STILL DATING Randy! What're you gonna do with him? Gonna get Eric to fall in love with you and keep Randy as a side guy? You're gonna be Kelso now?"

"Get off your high horse, Hyde," Donna snarled, "You didn't have a problem being my side guy, if I remember right."

Hyde stopped short. If there was one thing he wanted to take to his grave, it was that afternoon at Donna's. If Jackie ever found out… but then he remembered that Jackie probably wouldn't. She was over him, and on to a new life.

"Look, Donna, if you can actually get those two here, then I'll play along, but I'm not going to drag them here for you."

"Fine by me, I'll be back on the 5th of July with both of them. You just keep yourself from dying before then, okay? And make sure you aren't too easy to find that weekend," and she turned and stalked away.

Hyde sighed and rubbed his temples. This nutcase scheme of Donna's would backfire on her spectacularly, but maybe if Jackie did see him she'd see that he wasn't with Sam anymore. Maybe he could explain to her how he'd tried to find her. Maybe…

Red's words came rushing back from the last night he saw her.

" _I never thought I'd see you turn into Edna…"_

Was that what he was doing? Was he pulling her in to push her away again? Trying to get her back just to use her like an emotional punching bag? He wasn't sure anymore. He knew he missed her like a part of his body had been amputated. The ghost of her presence was a physical pain when he thought about her. One thing was for sure, he needed a plan for when he saw her. Half-assing this would only ensure that she left him for good. This was going to take some serious drinking…. thinking, he meant thinking.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

July 4th, 1981

Chicago

Red and Kitty Foreman pulled up to Brooke and Michael Kelso's house in Highland Park. It was a beautiful house with a large front lawn. Red whistled as they pulled into the driveway.

"I wonder who Kelso conned out of this place?" Red asked out loud.

"Red!" Kitty scolded, "This was Brooke's father's house. He passed away last year and left it to Brooke and Betsy. She wrote and told me about it, and wondered if she should sell it and use the money to move closer to her mother, since she's in Phoenix now. Well, I told her that a house this nice with that much room would be a waste on anyone without kids. So she kept it and she and Michael are really happy here, so don't you spoil it!"

Red rolled his eyes and opened the car door. No sooner had he exited than a curly haired moppet ran screaming out the front door "GRANDPA RED!" yelled Betsy, jumping into Red's waiting arms. He adored the little munchkin, and he knew it made Kitty happy to see him act like a good grandpa.

"Hey there, Punchkin!" he greeted her with their special nickname. He'd seen this little tyke hit, and she would be a force to be reckoned with soon.

Brooke came out next, followed closely by Michael, who looked like the earth had just opened up around him. She hugged Kitty and Red, then looking at her gobsmacked husband she rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry, he's just found out I'm pregnant again," Brooke smiled with an easy grace and a sweet laugh, "And since he just got Betsy potty-trained I think he's a bit overwhelmed."

"Oh, dear, that's just wonderful!" squealed Kitty, jumping up and down in excitement, "I just knew this house was meant for you two! More rooms means more babies to fill them!"

Kelso snapped to attention, looking frantic, "There are SIX bedrooms, Mrs. Foreman! SIX! I can't have that many… diapers!" he sputtered.

While Red and Brooke laughed, Kitty reached over and patted Kelso on the arm, "Now, Michael, honey, you don't have to have six children! But look how cute you two make them!" and she reached over and snuggled Betsy and pinched her cherub cheeks.

Kelso looked like he was going to faint, so they all decided to go inside for a beer. Just as they were stepping inside a small yellow sports car pulled up to the curb.

"KELSO!" yelled Fez, jumping from the still rolling Triumph Spitfire. He ran to his best friend and jumped on him. "It's been forever, my tall handsome friend!"

"Fez, I didn't know you were coming!" said a delighted Kitty.

"Oh, yes, Miss Kitty. Eric called last week and said it was very important that I be here for the fireworks, and he promised to buy me the giant cotton candy!"

"Ooooo, it sounds like Eric has a big something planned for this weekend," said Kitty. She was curious beyond measure, but soon became distracted by Betsy's demand to go see the ducks in the neighborhood pond.

As she grabbed her granddaughter and headed for the stroller in the hallway, she thought about how nice it was that things were looking up for most of her basement hatchlings. This was what she and Red had wanted so badly, a house to themselves with grandkids to visit and peace and quiet to return to. It seemed like all their hard work was finally paying off.

* * *

Evanston

Jackie watched as Amina nervously fidgeted with the hem of her sundress. Her friend looked pale and scared as they left Evanston for Highland Park. She'd told her over and over that the Foremans were amazing people who had kind hearts and would love her. Still, the doe-eyed Bosnian brunette was not reassured. She was convinced that any mother with such a fine son would never think anyone good enough for him.

"Amina, dear," Jackie said, gently pulling her hands away from the nearly torn hem, "You're going to wear a hole in a very inappropriate place on that dress if you don't calm down."

"Lije, what if they hate me?" she whispered fearfully.

Jackie glanced in the rearview mirror to signal to Eric not to turn around or try to interrupt.

"Amina, nobody could dislike you!" Jackie said sincerely, "You make my brother happier than I've ever seen. That's what Kitty and Red will see, and they'll love you for it."

Amina nodded and tried to relax. The trip only took a half hour and soon they were pulling in to the Kelso driveway. Amina smiled at the familiar setting and got ready to meet her boyfriend's parents.

Jackie rang the doorbell and waited for Michael to answer. When the door flung open to reveal Fez, Jackie shrieked with glee and threw her arms around him. She hadn't seen him since New Year's and had missed him terribly. Eric stepped up and hugged Fez and then stepped aside to reveal Amina.

Fez's mouth dropped open. The Amina he saw briefly before passing out at New Year's had been pretty in his memory, but this girl was gorgeous. Her long brunette hair was a lighter shade than Brooke's, and glinted with copper tones. Her skin was fair and she had large brown eyes like a doe. She was taller than Jackie, but not as tall as Donna. She fit comfortably next to Eric and seemed to radiate love and happiness.

"It is so nice to meet you, Amina!" Fez shouted and nearly tackled her with a hug.

Amina laughed good-naturedly and returned Fez's hug, then stepped inside. On the couch, Michael and Red were watching a Cubs game and Brooke was putting lunch on the table. Spotting Amina, Brooke waved and smiled and gestured to the living room.

"What's up Foreman?" Kelso said, not taking his eyes off the TV, "Hey Jackie! Hey Amina!"

Red turned around to see his favorite daughter and pulled a Fez. His mouth hung open at the sight of the pretty girl standing comfortably next to his son. Jackie, noticing Red's reaction, stepped in and said, "Amina, this is Red, mine and Eric's dad. Red, this is Amina, she's a friend of mine and Eric's girlfriend."

Red stood up quickly and walked around the couch to Amina. He smiled at her and said, "It's really nice to meet you, Amina," and held out his hand.

Taking his hand and shaking it firmly, Amina replied, "It is wonderful to meet you too, Mr. Red."

"That's a beautiful accent, Amina! Where are you from?" asked Red, still shaking her hand and smiling.

"She's from Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, Pop" said Eric, breaking his dad's eye contact with Amina, "She's at Northwestern studying Economics."

"Smart and beautiful. Well done, son," then, leaving a completely stunned Eric in his wake, he returned to the couch.

"See!" Jackie squealed quietly to Amina, "Told you they'd love you!"

"One so far," whispered Amina, "but I still have not seen his mother!"

Just then, the door opened and Betsy and Kitty came in, both soaked to the bone. Betsy made a beeline dash for Jackie crying, "Aunt Jackie, I fell in da water! Kiki come too!"

Looking curiously at Kitty, Jackie heard her surrogate mother laugh that signature laugh. "Well, _a-ha-ha-ha_ , Betsy wanted to feed the ducks, but I didn't have anything, so she decided to help them find fish to eat! I swear she's twice as fast as Michael and totally fearless! Well, I got her out in 2 seconds, but we're both- " Kitty stopped, having just noticed the fair-skinned beauty next to her son.

"Mom, this is Amina," Eric said, introducing his love, "she's my girlfriend and she's wanted to meet you for a while."

"Oh, dear," said Kitty, and everyone held their breath, "You are just BEAUTIFUL! Well, let me change real quick and then you and I can go to the kitchen and you can tell me all about yourself! _A-ha-ha-ha_! Oh, I'm just so happy to meet you!" and she ran up, gave Amina a quick kiss on the cheek and dashed upstairs to put on dry clothes.

Jackie watched Amina let out a long sigh. "What's wrong?" Jackie asked.

"Nothing," said Amina, "nothing at all. She acted just like my mama would have. She's perfect!"

Jackie, Brooke, Amina and Kitty all enjoyed lunch together in the kitchen. Amina told Kitty all about her and Eric; how their friendship and instant connection were so obvious. Kitty told Amina she was so happy her son was happy, and Brooke and Jackie each tried to claim credit for bringing them together. Fairly soon, the group decided to make their way to the lake for the fireworks. Brooke packed up some snacks; they'd decided to grill a late dinner afterwards when, hopefully, Betsy had gone to bed. Making their way to the shoreline, Amina and Eric sat down on a blanket to watch to show.

Meanwhile, not too far off, a Cadillac El Dorado was headed towards Highland Park. It's newly crimson-haired driver hell bent on reclaiming what was rightfully hers.

* * *

July 4, 1981

Malibu, California

The phone ringing on the bedside table would forever go unanswered. Nobody who lived there would care who called, and after tonight, nobody who would have wanted to call would need to. The answering machine that had been an extravagant Christmas gift picked up on the 3rd ring, startling the lone living occupant.

 _Beep. "So do I talk now?..What?.. Oh! Hi, this is Midge! Please leave me a message and I'll call you when I get back! Ok, now what do I do? Press what?... Beep._

" _Hey Midgey, it's Bob…. Bob Pinciotti. Listen, I know you're probably out late tonight, but when you get a chance, please call me back. I need to talk to you about Donna. I think she's pretty messed up over Eric and I'm worried she'll do something stupid. So, okay-then, bye-bye!"_

The man standing next to the machine smiled. He'd been worried when he found "Midge" alone that the trail to "Bob" would be harder to pick up. He should've known she was lying when she said she didn't know anything about him anymore. So, they'd named the little rugrat "Donna". He snorted with laughter. He'd try to remember to pass that information along. Still, two names weren't going to get him very far. He was disappointed that he hadn't been able to get Midge to crack. The Irish broad had been tougher than she looked. He bent down and grabbed the fallen blanket from the floor and tossed it over the bed. If someone came by peeking through windows, the bed would look semi-normal. He was going to need a head start if "Bob" and "Donna" were far from Malibu. He couldn't afford for them to disappear again.

Slowly and methodically he gathered up the towels and stuffed them in a large trash bag. There was a communal dumpster nearby, and he knew trash pickup was tomorrow. Looking down he heaved a half-hearted sigh. She'd been such a beauty! What a damn waste…

Taking care to ensure that no blood spilled from the mat onto the floor, he rolled Midge's body up and prepared to lift it up on his shoulder. It was dark outside, and his van was parked in the garage. He'd have to dispose of it on the road, maybe out in the desert if he was headed to Arizona…

A loud knocking sound at the front door startled him.

"Hello? Midge? Honey, you're late for your shift! Cal sent me by to check on you!"

The man froze. Midge wasn't scheduled to work! He'd been careful to double check that once he saw that Bob wasn't with her. He needed time to get information…

"Midge? Honey, your car is here so I know you're in there! Look, I'm gonna run back and tell Cal I need a few minutes then I'm coming back, okay? If you're stuck in the bathroom again just hang on!"

 _DAMN!_ The man tried to think quickly. The restaurant was only a few blocks away. The woman could be back in 10 minutes or less. He had to think fast. Grabbing the bag of towels, he sprinted into the garage and heaved open the doors to the van. Tossing the bag inside he returned to the bedroom to see the mat had unrolled and blood had leaked everywhere. _FUCK!_ Well, he'd just have to make as much progress as he could on the road. Stopping to scoop up every last bit of mail he'd gathered earlier and his case with the photos he'd found, he jumped in the van and gunned the engine. He tore out of the garage in reverse and didn't stop to shut it again. He turned the corner just as he saw a pretty brunette cross the street towards Midge's condo. She hadn't looked up, and hopefully she didn't take any notice of the van slowly leaving the neighborhood. The place would be crawling with police in 10 minutes, he was sure of it.

He decided against phoning anyone back home until he'd formed a new plan. His instructions had been crystal clear- find them, eliminate them, leave no witnesses and no trail. Well, he was certain he'd done that. Now he just needed to find the remaining two… _Pinciottis._

After an hour of driving east, the man pulled into a small rest stop. He pulled the mail out and found a plain envelope addressed to Midge from "B. Pinciotti" and a P.O. Box in Point Place, Wisconsin. _SHIT!_ Wisconsin was 2 days of non-stop driving, and even then he didn't have a proper address. Well, it wouldn't be long before the fuzz would be trying to track down Bob too. Once the marshals got wind of this, they could be underground again before he even got close.

He decided to make a bee-line for Wisconsin, hoping against hope that he could corner his quarry before the feds made the connection.

* * *

July 4, 1981

Chicago

The happy troupe was encamped on the shoreline, eagerly anticipating the fireworks, when suddenly Betsy shouted, "Where Kiki?!". Everyone turned and looked around, but nobody could see Red or Kitty.

 _Dammit,_ thought Eric. He wanted to propose just after the fireworks, and he really wanted his parents to be there for it. He turned to Amina and said, "Wait here, I'm just going to make sure they didn't wander off."

Amina nodded and Eric went to walk the shoreline. First going south, then doubling back north, he returned 20 minutes later with no sign of either of his parents. Exasperated, he flopped down on the towel next to Amina. Why couldn't his timing ever work out?

"Eric, what's wrong?" Amina asked.

"I just really wanted my parents to see… the show," he finished, not wanting to ruin the surprise ahead.

"I know, _dušo_ , but I'm sure they'll be back soon!" she said, soothingly, "and I'm sure they have seen many of these shows before!"

Just then the fireworks began, and everyone was surprised at the amount of light they cast on the beach. They illuminated the shore and the small copse of trees behind them. Eric turned when he heard a rustling noise, and watched amazedly as Red and Kitty stumbled out from the trees! _Unbelievable. 35 years and they still sneak off for some hanky-panky._ Eric tried to repress a shudder at the thought of his parents "hanky-panky". He looked over and saw Jackie trying desperately not to laugh, while Brooke and Kelso took turns holding their hands over Betsy's ears.

The show was spectacular, and as the final crescendo of sparks faded into the night and the applause died away, Eric put his hand in his pocket to withdraw a small navy blue velvet box. As other beachgoers drifted away to their cars, he looked around at his family. Brooke and Kelso were snuggling Betsy. Fez and Jackie were laughing and commenting on the show. Red and Kitty were holding hands and smiling. This was it. This was the perfect moment.

Amina stood up and reached towards Eric, offering her hand. Eric rolled onto one knee and lightly grasped her fingers. Kissing the top of her hand, he took a deep breath and said,

"Amina, you are the love of my life. I walked a long, dark road to get to you. But, you've been the bright spot through it all. I don't want to walk this road anymore without you.

 _Hoćeš li se udati za mene?"_

Everyone but Jackie stood thunderstruck. Mouths open, they looked from Eric on one knee, to Amina who was standing perfectly still, her skirt fluttering lightly in the warm breeze.

"Of course I will, my love," she said with such emotion that it was hard to hear.

"What did she say?" yelled Fez.

As Eric slipped the ring onto Amina's finger, Jackie leaned over and said, "She said yes, duh!"

Eric stood and hugged Amina tightly, his heart full of happiness. Kitty dashed over, tears spilling everywhere, to hug and congratulate her son and her new daughter-in-law-to-be. Fez, Michael and Brooke cheered loudly, then immediately stopped as they realized Betsy was asleep. Red stood next to Jackie and nudged her softly, "So, kiddo, you have any…prior knowledge of this?"

Jackie gave Red a knowing smile. "Red, I know _everything_." He grinned and hugged his surrogate daughter. He was a bit worried about how she'd handle the engagement over the next few months. He knew she wasn't remotely over Steven. He hoped, though, that this wouldn't break her resolve. She was doing so well here, away from all of that mess.

Behind the copse of trees, a young woman with red hair stood watching. She watched the entire scene unfold as if in a dream. The ring was enormous. It was twice as big as the one she'd gotten! Bitterly, she watched as Red and Kitty embraced her replacement. Well, she might've been a few minutes too late, but her plan could be improvised. Seeing her competition, Donna was confident she could easily outmaneuver her. And if it came to it, she could physically whoop her as well.

She took a few steps forward. _Show time._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

July 4th

Malibu, CA

Cynthia turned her spare key in the door and walked in to Midge's condo. "Midge?" she called, "Midge? It's Cynthia!"

No answer came from the kitchen off the entryway, so Cynthia made her way to the back rooms. She checked the guest room for "visitors", but it was empty and the bed was neatly made. She glanced out at the small patio that overlooked the water, but Midge's chaise lounge was empty, and no daiquiri sat on the table either. She headed for the main bedroom and pushed the door open.

There, lying halfway in the small _en suite_ bathroom was Midge. Blood pooled around her body, and her face was swollen and purple from bruising. Cynthia rushed over and checked her dear friend for a pulse. She noted the odd lump protruding from Midge's neck, and guessed that her neck was broken.

Shaking and starting to hyperventilate, Cynthia ran from the house. She sprinted the distance back to Cal's restaurant and tore through the crowded dining room. Bursting into Cal's office she blurted out, "Cal! Call the police! Hurry! Midge is dead!" and then collapsed into a chair, grabbing a trash can to vomit in.

Cal appeared startled for a moment, then picked up his desk phone and called the Malibu Sheriff's office.

"Hello, Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Department? How may I direct your call?"

"Hello, my name is Cal Carson. One of my staff didn't show up to her shift and I sent someone to check on her. They said she's dead."

"Okay, sir, can you give me the address? We'll send over a deputy to check it out."

Cal gave the woman the address for Midge's condo and then turned to Cynthia. "Midge is dead? You're sure?" he asked.

"Cal," gasped Cynthia, "someone murdered her. She's covered in blood and they broke her neck." Cynthia went pale and looked like she was going to faint.

"Okay," said Cal, jumping to his feet, "Cynthia, you stay here. Try to calm down. My whiskey is in the desk. Help yourself. I need to make a few phone calls and I'm going to meet the deputy at Midge's place."

Cal reached into his bottom desk drawer and took out an envelope from Midge. She'd given it to him for safekeeping and asked him to open it and contact the person inside if anything ever happened to her. At the time, he really hadn't thought much of it. Plenty of his employees were people who were starting over, away from family and friends. Now, though, he wondered if Midge had been hiding from something much worse.

Opening the envelope, he stared at the letter and dialed the number on the bottom.

"Hello?"

"Um, hello? Mr. McCormack?" asked Cal.

"It's Marshal McCormack. With whom am I speaking?" corrected a gruff voice.

"Sir, my name is Cal Carson and Midge Pinciotti is… was one of my employees."

"What do you mean 'was', Mr. Carson?" he asked warily.

"I'm so sorry to tell you this, sir, but Midge was found dead in her condo by a co-worker just a few minutes ago. She said that Midge was definitely murdered, her body was in bad shape, couldn't have been an accident. Midge left a letter with me when she started working here, it said to call you immediately if anything ever happened to her."

"Mr. Carson, I can't thank you enough for doing as she asked. Now listen, I need to get in touch with law enforcement at the scene. Do you think you can head down there and give them my name and number? Have them call me from Midge's place immediately. I'm a Federal Marshal and this is tied directly to a federal case."

"I'd be happy to do that, sir. Listen, I know this is urgent, but I know Midge had a daughter and husband back in Wisconsin. Should I let them know before I head down there?"

"No," sighed Marshal McCormack, "I'll have to do that myself."

"Alright then, sir," said Cal, "I'll relay the message to the deputies. Let me know if I can help in any way."

"Thank you, Cal," said McCormack, "you're a good man."

Ben McCormack hung up the phone and ran a hand through his graying hair. He should've known this would happen. He'd begged Midge to stay in Wisconsin where it was safe, but she was tired and frustrated after 14 years in hiding. They'd all gotten too complacent. Now Midge was dead, and he was terrified that Bob and Donna were next. He'd come to love the whole Pinciotti family, ever since their red haired toddler had smiled up at him at their first meeting.

His desk phone rang and he snatched it up, "Marshal Ben McCormack speaking."

"Marshal, sir, this is Deputy Riggins with Malibu Sherriff's office. I just received your request from Mr. Cal Carson," said the deputy.

"Yes, thank you for calling, Deputy Riggins."

"Please, Marshal, call me Dave. It'll make this a lot quicker conversation."

"Thanks Dave, please feel free to call me Ben. Listen, I understand that you are looking at the possible homicide for Midge Pinciotti?"

"There's really no question, Ben. I did two tours in Vietnam and worked for LAPD before coming here. I know a homicide when I see one. Looks like she was beaten bad, then her neck was broken, but I understand if you want to wait for the coroner's report."

"No need for my purposes, Dave. I'm not here to intrude on your investigation. Midge was a federal witness and I just need to confirm it's her before I sound the alarm. Can you get a confirmation of her fingerprints ASAP and let me know? I'll start the paperwork, but if it's not her and I get the bosses involved there'll be hell to pay."

"I totally understand, Ben. I'll make sure it's priority for the coroner. Looks like she has a California license, so her fingerprints will be on file. I'm real sorry your witness died, Ben. Hope this doesn't hurt your case too bad."

"I appreciate that Dave. You take care and I'll wait for your call."

"Will do, Ben. Talk to you later."

Hanging up the phone, Ben walked over to his filing cabinet and pulled out a thick, worn file. Opening up the contents he saw the photographs of a much younger Bob, Midge and Donna Pinciotti. He slowly drew a red slash through Midge's files and wrote "DECEASED" across the line. He'd wait until the confirmation came back to alert his bosses, but right now what he wanted to do was let Bob know so he and Donna could start heading to his office. They'd need to move to a safe house until he could pin down the threat.

Picking up his phone again he dialed the Pinciotti household and prayed that Bob wasn't still a crier.

"Hello?"

"Hi Bob, it's Ben McCormack. It's been a few years."

"Hey there Ben!" said Bob, happily, "How the heck are ya?"

"Terrible, Bob. I've had the worst day of my career."

"That's a darn shame, Ben. What happened?"

The man was so relentlessly kind it was hard to believe he was the same guy from the file description. "Bob, there's no easy way to say this so… Midge was found murdered in her condo in Malibu. She was tortured and beaten and law enforcement said it looks like her neck was broken."

"Oh my God…" whispered Bob, "Was it… Was she… targeted?"

"Bob, you and I both know exactly who this came from. It's highly unlikely that it was a random burglary gone wrong. They found her, and I suspect that they're on their way towards you and Donna right now. If we're lucky, we caught on quick, and I need you two to get to my office ASAP. We'll get new identities together for you and- "

"No," said Bob, a firm and resonant tone to his voice.

"Bob? What?" sputtered Ben, sure he must've misunderstood.

"I mean, I'll send Donna your way, Ben," said Bob, tears threatening to spill, "just as soon as I talk to her. Midge and I never told her anything, and I need to let her know in my own words. Then I'll send her to you. But me, I'm done running. I'm gonna head back home, put this to rest once and for all."

"Bob! That's completely fucking insane!" thundered Ben, "They put a HIT out on you! It's been 18 years and they are still trying to make good on it! For God's sake!"

"Ben," said Bob, endeavoring to remain calm, "I know this is hard. You've done right by my family, more than I ever could have asked. But I need to know that Donna will be safe. I'll try to make it as out in the open as possible, see if you can nail a few of 'em in the courtroom for it. And make damn sure that Donna gets well clear of all of it. Make sure Uncle Carmine keeps his promise, _capisce_?"

"Bob, there's no need for some 'last stand at the Alamo' horseshit!"

"I know you think there isn't, Ben. But I know these guys better. This isn't about eliminating me 'cause I'm a threat. This is about revenge for what I did, and that account ain't settled until you pay the butcher's bill."

Ben knew there was an awful truth in Bob's words. He just didn't want to let it happen. He couldn't just let Bob…

"Ben, I missed my parent's funerals. Haven't seen my family in nearly 19 years. I'd like to do that before I go. Besides, I think Donna's starting to turn a bad corner. Maybe, without me here to clean up her mess and baby her, she'll find herself again. I'd like that. Make sure she doesn't give in to fear and the easy road, Ben. She's destined to be better than that."

"I will Bob. When can I expect her?"

"I'm not sure where she is right now, honestly. Look, as soon as she gets back I'll talk to her. I'll have her on the road shortly after that and she should be to you by Tuesday at the latest. Make sure she gets to choose a good place, Ben. I'll send all the financials with her so you guys can set it up."

"Bob," Ben said, his throat tightening as he looked at the picture of the sweet young family from 1963, "it's been a real honor to know you. You turned out to be a hell of a guy. I promise I'll keep her safe."

"Thanks, Ben," said Bob, "for everything. Thanks for giving me these last 18 years. I'll see you later, buddy."

The phone went dead and Ben tried hard not to scream and throw things. He'd been fighting to protect mob witnesses and snitches for nearly 20 years. Most of them were self-serving assholes who took up new lives of crime wherever they went. But Bob had been one of his first assignments and because of him, Ben had never truly given up on his job at Witness Protection.

Bob Pinciotti had been a made man. In 1962 his name had been Frank Palermo, he'd been married to a gorgeous Irish Catholic girl named Margaret O'Brien and they had a daughter- Antonia Lucia Palermo. Frank had started running numbers for the mob as a kid in high school. He had a head for figures and a genial personality. He could get guys to keep betting even after they'd lost more than they could ever repay. In doing that, his customers ended up in lifelong debt to the local Mafioso. Frankie was also gifted with a near photographic memory. He could manipulate numbers for one set of books while keeping the real numbers straight in his head. It came in very handy when you needed to quickly destroy some evidence and then duplicate it later. But one thing Frankie Palermo couldn't do was violence. He could shake people down with implication, but he never crossed his own moral line. His boss gave his word that none of Frankie's customers would get hurt, so long as the money or the "favors" kept coming in.

So Frankie kept his place in the family, happy to be useful, never getting entangled in the power struggles that erupted. Until one day he passed by a bakery he liked in Brooklyn. He wasn't often in this neighborhood, but he loved their cannolis and stopped in to get a dozen for Margaret and Antonia. He'd heard a commotion in the back and run through the kitchen door in time to see two of his boss' enforcers running the old baker's hands through a dough press. The old man had screamed so loud that Joe Abruzzi had cracked him over the head with a rolling pin. He'd slumped to the floor, his skull cracked open, and Joe had moved over to take another whack.

Frankie had screamed at Joe to stop, told him that the boss had sworn his customers wouldn't get hurt. Joe had smiled wickedly and said, "Well this guy ain't your customer, Palermo. His son is. And his broke ass son took off last month with our shipment instead of delivering it. So we're here to leave him a message."

Frankie had nodded, raised his hands, and left. Joe Abruzzi was a bully with a half-ass right hook and no brains. Frankie wasn't afraid of him, but he could read the expression on Joe's face. Joe would tell the boss if Frankie intervened on an order. So he went home. He thought about the nice old baker. How he always offered Frankie extra sweets for "la princesa", and how much he clearly loved his son. Frankie Palermo had been many things, some of them not so good. But he was a man of his word. It had meant something to him. So that night, after getting Antonia tucked into bed, he'd walked down to the subway and gone to Federal Plaza. It had been late, but as soon as he told the guard who we was and what he was there for, the man had telephoned the Field Office Director himself.

Frankie Palermo had become one of the first mob guys to ever testify in open-court. Witness Protection Marshal Ben McCormack had been fairly new to the job, and assigned to keep the Palermo family safe while court proceedings were held and then, after the trial, to help them start over with new identities. Ben had noticed that Margaret was deeply unhappy about leaving her family behind. She was a great beauty, even in New York, and had dreams of performing on stage. He'd had to remind her that no matter where they went, though, she would have to "keep a low profile".

Antonia had been just a small toddler when the whole thing started. They'd decided to change her name right away, so she could get used to hearing it. As they had sat in his office, Ben had tried to help Margaret come up with names the child would like. One by one, the stubborn little red-head had refused them all.

Finally, he picked her up and said, "Nia, do you know how to say 'beautiful lady' in Italian?".

Antonia had shaken her head, but smiled and pointed at her mother. "Mama is bootiful!"

Ben had laughed. "Very good, Nia. Yes, mama is beautiful. So in Italian we say 'Bella donna'. So maybe we can call you- Donna? Because you are beautiful like mama?"

Antonia had clapped and sang, "Do-nna, Do-nna!" in her squeaky voice.

Margaret had been so relieved that when Ben asked her for her new name she said, "Just write down Midge, it'll remind me of my real name when I'm sad."

The Palermos had been upbeat at first. There had been a real chance they could be relocated to an East Coast city at least, until word came down that an enormous hit had been placed on Frankie. Now, it was a race to get them out of New York and into hiding. Desperate to find something viable, Ben had located a small town in Wisconsin with a need for an appliance store salesman. He figured Frankie would be good in sales, and the Palermos had saved enough money to get them through the first year, while Frankie learned the trade.

Ben laughed as he remembered the look on Midge's face when they'd pulled up to the house in Point Place, Wisconsin. She'd been hoping for something a bit more polished, but this town was Midwestern-dairy country to the core. She'd been a good sport about it for quite a while, he thought. Bob had taken to his new life with gusto, seeming to relish in the chance to start over and make an honest living. Ben had watched him thrive and it had carried him through some truly rough years with WitSec.

Now, though, the story of the Palermo family was drawing closed. Donna was going to have to face a truth harsher than the one her friends had doled out, harsher than the one she was about to bring on herself. Not even Ben could imagine the insanity that the next 48 hours would bring.


	11. Chapter 11

_AN: A million thanks to GreenandZen, who has been generous with both praise and advice. This is a story long-formed in my head, and validation makes my heart happy (guess I'm a little like Jackie that way). This story is also meant to encompass a long journey. All characters do not exit the same as they enter, so be warned. One thing I will promise, because it feels almost traitorous to suggest otherwise- the nature of Jackie and Eric's relationship is set in stone. Love comes in many forms, and theirs is a genuinely loving friendship._

Chapter 11

Chicago, Highland Park

Donna walked up to the group of people who used to be her family. The resentment coursing through her veins was fueling her act. She needed to really make them believe her story. The entire plan hinged on the whole group taking the bait.

"Hey guys! I'm so glad I found you!" she shouted, running the last few yards to where Eric and Amina stood together.

"Donna?" said Eric, Fez, Brooke, Kitty and Kelso all at once.

Jackie just stared at the woman who'd once been like her sister. Her hair was back to red now, but it looked different- like an imitation of the burnished copper strands that used to be there. She looked flustered, even frantic, and Jackie wondered what could have brought her here on a holiday. In fact, Jackie wondered with even greater anxiety, _how_ had she found them here? Eric had planned this for Chicago so that this EXACT situation could be avoided. Well, almost this exact situation. And with that realization she spun around wildly, terrified that _he_ had shown up too.

"Donna," said Red, slowly and suspiciously, "what are you doing here? Where's Randy? Where's Bob?"

"Oh, I left them back home. I just," she paused for effect, "I've been searching for Hyde for a week and I can't find him. He's been in a bad place since Grooves burned down, and I'm worried that he's... you know, hurt or something. I was hoping I could get you guys to come home with me and help me find him, get him to a rehab center, maybe get him back on his feet," she finished, with a pleading note to her voice.

Eric froze at her words, then turned quickly to look at his little sister. Jackie was a similar statue of shock. Her eyes were fixed on Donna, but Eric could see the neurons in her brain firing at a rapid pace. She was already trying to work out a way to help Steven, Eric knew it. Foreseeing the danger in her thoughts, and determined to stop it, he interjected as Kitty began to open her mouth.

"Okay, Donna," he said simply. He didn't have the luxury of an argument if he was going to head off whatever plan Jackie was formulating. "Amina and I can go back to Point Place with Mom and Dad and help you look. Jackie, you've got class on Monday, so you drive the Lincoln back and we'll call and update you on our search."

"Eric, no!" Jackie began to protest. How could he even suggest she stay in Evanston while Steven was missing? She had to find him. She had to help him.

Eric, Kitty and Red all began to shout her down, but it was Amina who settled things. She took Jackie's hand and forced her to look at Amina's face. "Lije, you need to go back," she held up her other hand to stop Jackie's interruption, "and tell the professors what has happened. Work out an arrangement with them, so you can turn in your work later, or send it to them from Eric's home. You have worked _too hard_ to just walk away and ruin your record now. They will understand. Tell them you will be back in two weeks at the latest, that way it won't be open-ended. Lije, you know we are right about this. We will find him. _Obećavam_." Her last word was said with emphasis. In Bosnian it meant _I promise,_ and Amina did not make promises without the full intention of keeping them.

Jackie lowered her head, and squeezed Amina's hand. "You guys are right," she sighed, "I'll head back to school in the morning and try to contact my professors. But you have to swear that you'll call me as soon as you get there and as soon as you find him. I'll be there Monday night if everything works out."

"Great!" said Donna, feigning relief at her fabricated disaster. She held out her hand to Amina and said, "You must be Amina! Eric told me all about you and I just wanted to say congratulations. I'm very happy for you both."

Amina shook Donna's hand cordially and smiled at her. Jackie had told Amina about Donna, about their once close relationship and her betrayal. She had even filled her in on the Eric/Donna anthology. Amina was not ignorant of her now-fiancee's past, but she didn't want to judge Donna harshly for it. People had to be allowed to grow, make mistakes, and move on.

Brooke stepped forward and pulled Jackie aside. Unlike Amina she had no compunction whatsoever about judging Donna. As far as she was concerned, Donna was not to be given the benefit of the doubt. "Jackie, I don't like this. Why did she drive to Chicago to get Red and Kitty when they'd be back on Sunday? If Hyde's been missing for a week what's one more day? I don't think she's telling us everything. I don't trust her."

Jackie considered Brooke's words. The truth was that she knew she had blinders on when it came to Steven. Hell, everyone knew that. It was one of the reasons WB was so adamant that she remain in Evanston during the summers. But she couldn't ignore the screaming voice in her head that said- _It doesn't matter why she's here, it only matters that Steven is hurt. He is the bottom line. You have to find him!_

"Brooke," Jackie began, "I think you're right. About Donna, that is. She's got something else up her sleeve. But that isn't important to me, well, unless she tries to hurt Eric. Believe me, if Barbarella thinks she can ruin his life she's sadly mistaken. I will fuck her up before I let her ruin this for him. What matters, the only thing that matters, is making sure Steven is alive. I swear I will not stick around to nurse him back to whatever! I just need to see that he's safe with my own eyes. I know you and WB are right, it's not time to go back yet. Not now."

Brooke nodded at her best friend. She could change the world with her talent, change her looks, change her attitude, but the core of Jaqueline Burkhardt would always be the same. She loved fiercely and deeply, even at great cost to herself. Brooke pulled her in for a hug, "Listen, sweetie," she whispered, making sure this conversation stayed between the two of them, "Michael and I will always have your back. So will Fez and Eric. You do what you need to do and then come back to finish this. I know you love him. I'm proud of you for loving him, and I want to see that love returned to you. I think he'll be able to eventually, but don't let _anyone_ convince you that he is capable of that right now. Promise?"

Jackie hugged Brooke tightly in response. "I promise, Brooke. I'll be back soon. Keep those files I gave you this morning safe in your dad's old office for now, okay? I don't want them laying around while I'm gone. I think I'm close to putting all the pieces together, but it's going to take more time than I have at present."

Brooke nodded and went to retrieve her daughter and husband from the water. The drama had caused Kelso to revert back to his "Not my circus, not my monkeys" philosophy, and he had taken Betsy to play at the lake's edge. They were both now drenched in cold lake water and Betsy was starting to fuss.

"So," said Kelso to the group at large, "what's the plan for tonight?" He looked at Brooke and picked up on her glaring hints. She did NOT want Donna Pinciotti in her house tonight. Hopefully, Red and Kitty could persuade her to return to Point Place tonight and wait for them.

"Well, it's getting late, and..." Donna trailed off, hoping someone would offer her a couch or something. When nobody spoke up, she cast a look at Eric. She was banking on his chivalrous side, but before she could turn on the charm and work her magic someone else spoke.

"Donna's right, it's getting late. If we're going to look for Steven we should all get a good night's rest," said Fez, sensing the awkward moment and determining to squash it, "Donna, you can stay with me tonight, the hotel gave me a double." He turned and gave Jackie and Brooke a quick wink as he surveyed the group, "Does that sound good to everyone?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. Fez, thank god, had given them all the way out. Donna's face betrayed a hint of disappointment, but she masked it under a grateful smile. "Thanks, Fez. What time should we all meet tomorrow?"

"Well, my parents, Amina and I will ride back in the Vista Cruiser. Fez, do you want to ride with Donna to save gas?" asked Eric, trying to show his friend how grateful he was as well.

"No," said Kelso, much to everyone's surprise, "I'll ride back with Donna. She and I can work out a plan for once we get back to Point Place. Let's all meet back here at our house at 8 tomorrow morning. We'll leave by 8:30, so if we're gone, just head to Point Place."

Everyone nodded in agreement and headed to their cars. As Brooke and Kelso carried Betsy back to the house, she walked a bit behind the group to question her husband. "What was all that about?" she asked, "Why do you want to ride back with Donna? And who needs a plan? Point Place is all of 15 square miles!"

Kelso bent his head down towards his beautiful girlfriend. He knew she was too smart to fall for his subterfuge. "Listen, babe, none of this is sitting right with me. Donna hasn't been herself since Eric left for Africa. She's been even stranger since Jackie left. If finding Hyde was so important to her she'd have reached out for help months ago. I think this has something to do with Eric, and I want to tag along to make sure she's not going to mess with him and Amina."

Brooke slipped an arm around him and squeezed him tight. "You're a good man, Michael. Go with them tomorrow and see if you can figure this out. I told Jackie nearly the same thing you just said. I'll take this week off at the library and spend some time with Betsy. But, please Michael, promise you'll be careful!"

Kelso grinned down at her, "I promise, babe. No water towers or canoeing down a mountain."

* * *

Point Place

July 4th

Bob paced back and forth in the kitchen, wondering where in the hell his daughter could be. She was technically an adult, but she seemed to act less like one with every passing day. Her note had simply said that she needed the car for a "bit" and that she'd be back soon. He'd gone next door to see if Red or Kitty knew where she was, but remembered they were in Chicago for the holiday weekend. He didn't have anyone's number in Chicago, and he didn't want to chance missing her by going out to look for her.

He'd pulled out a worn leather photo album that he'd long ago hidden in the attic. Ben had warned he and Midge about bringing any mementos from their old life with them, but Bob had always had a feeling that his days in WitSec were numbered. Nobody escaped the mob forever, he thought sadly. Donna needed to know the truth before he left. She needed to know that the way she was acting had to stop; she was going to have to grow up, now.

He thumbed through the pages. His and Margaret's marriage certificate, Antonia's birth certificate, pictures from the first 3 years of her life that she didn't even remember anymore. He wondered how on earth he was going to explain everything. Donna had been different lately, he thought. He knew Eric's departure to Africa would unsettle her for a while, but then she started dating Randy and quit school. Even her radio job hadn't panned out the way she'd wanted. He shook his head sadly. He realized that even if she managed to get her act together, to be the woman he knew she could be, he wouldn't be around to see it. Swallowing back his tears, he reached for the last picture. Margaret had taken it on their last day in New York. They'd gone to the Statue of Liberty, ridden the Staten Island Ferry and gone to Coney Island. On the way home, they'd stopped at a park to rest. Antonia had snuggled into Frankie's chest, then looked up and touched her forehead to his. The picture captured the moment in all its simple beauty. A father and his daughter, head to head, eyes closed, love and happiness flowing between the two. He put it in his pocket for his trip. No matter what else happened, he wanted to remember the courage this little girl had given him to do the right thing for another father 18 years ago.

* * *

Chicago

July 5th (Finally)

Donna and Fez arrived at the Kelso's at 7:00 the next morning. The Foremans, Amina and Jackie were all awake eating breakfast. Brooke offered coffee and breakfast to Fez and Donna as well, and by 8:00 everyone was fed, packed and ready to go. Jackie hugged her "brother", Amina and Kitty tightly and promised to talk with her professors the first thing on Monday. Red and Michael were busy discussing something in the living room, so she turned to Donna and asked to speak to her privately on the deck.

"Listen Donna," Jackie began, "thank you for coming out here to find us and get help for Steven. That was really kind of you."

"Yeah, well" said Donna, feeling the surge of power that comes with righteous indignation, "he's still _my_ friend. I couldn't just abandon him and let him die. People shouldn't have to be perfect to have friends who care about them."

Jackie stared at Donna for a long minute. "You're right about that Donna. People should be able to have flaws without having their 'friends' tear them down, burn them, and throw them away," she said pointedly, not blinking, "and I'm glad I don't anymore. I just wanted you to know this- I'm going to be in Point Place by Monday night, come hell or high water. I'm going to get to the bottom of this and if I find you had a hand in any of it, or if you're using Steven to get to me or Eric..." She paused, making sure Donna was looking right into her mismatched eyes, "I will not rest until I've made you pay for it- all of it, every moment you made me miserable, or scared, or inferior. I will burn you to the last ash and then scatter you to the winds." And with that, she turned and walked back into the house.

Donna stood on the deck, breathing heavily and struggling to contain her tears. _How dare that little midget! She thinks she's a badass now! God I can't wait to watch Hyde drag her to the bottom._ With that last savage thought, she regained her composure and stepped back in to the house.

"Alright, dumbasses," said Red, "Let's get a move on. Donna, Kelso will explain the plan in the car. Eric, you and Amina ride with me and Kitty is going with Fez." He stepped over to Jackie and motioned for Brooke to join them. "Now you two, listen good, Kelso thinks we can locate Steven tonight or tomorrow. Jackie, you go back to campus and make your arrangements like you said, then come back here first. I'm going to have Kitty keep Brooke updated every hour or so. If- when- we find him, then you start the drive back. I want to make sure that if he's mixed up in something bad that we have time to get him to safety before you head over. Agreed?"

Brooke and Jackie nodded and he hugged them both, giving Jackie a small kiss on the top of her head. Everyone left the house and waved goodbye to each other in the driveway. As the cars pulled away, Jackie turned to Brooke and voiced a small fear that had been growing inside her since the previous night, "Brooke, does it feel like something bad is about to happen?"

Brooke looked at Jackie and answered as kindly as honesty would allow, "Sweetie, I think that even if they find Steven it's going to be bad. But I know what you mean. Something feels... off. There's just something not right about all of this, and it's killing me that I can't put my finger on it."

The two women headed back into the house at the same time that Donna and Kelso's car was making its way onto the main road towards the freeway. Donna turned on the radio and asked, "So, Kelso, how's Betsy doing?"

Michael switched the radio off and looked at Donna. "Donna, don't try and make small talk with me. I'm riding with you because there are things you need to know and since you can't seem to take a hint, or learn them yourself, it's fallen on my shoulders." His tone was stern, like a parent lecturing a rebellious teenager. "Your pretense didn't fool anybody at the lake. If Hyde was so important to you, you'd have made this effort months ago, when he first started getting arrested for being drunk and disorderly. The reason nobody came to Point Place before this was because we knew he wouldn't get help, and by the way, I know you haven't been offering help or looking out for him these last few months either. I still have buddies on the force, and I've been keeping tabs on Hyde ever since his store burned down. Jackie and Eric didn't want you to know where they were, or Hyde to know, so they could start over. Which they did, and they've been happy and whole since they got the hell out of Point Place and away from you and Hyde."

"Fuck you, Kelso," she said softly, "I'm not the evil villain in this story. I loved Eric and he left me behind in Point Place. I was Jackie's best friend and she abandoned me while Eric was in Africa, because her fragile ego couldn't handle Hyde moving on with Samantha," her voice became mocking and high pitched, " _Oh no! The great and beautiful Jackie Burkhardt isn't the center of the universe anymore! I guess I'll just run away to Chicago and make everyone feel sorry for me!"_

"Jesus, Donna," sighed Kelso, "I never figured you for the spiteful-bitch type. Look, clearly you aren't going to accept your part in all of this so let me just break down the end game for you- I know you're up to something and Hyde is just your means to an end. So I'm here to supervise. You aren't going to be alone with Eric or Amina for longer than it takes to bat your eyelashes or retract your claws. Once we find Hyde, if he's as messed up as you say he is then we'll get him to rehab and we'll all be gone before the week is out. So just know I'm watching you, Big Red."

Donna stared out the windshield at the freeway ramp. Kelso had leaned back and turned the radio on again. It seemed like he was a different guy than the one she'd always known. He seemed smarter, more aware and more sure of himself. Like he'd found his purpose in life and was good at it. Donna envied him a little. She shook the cobwebs out of her brain and started to analyze her plan of attack. She'd need something better than the original "naked Donna" scenario she'd had in mind...

* * *

July 5th

Des Moines, Iowa

The man was resting on the hotel bed with a map of Wisconsin spread out before him. He'd located Point Place fairly quickly, and it looked like a small town. It shouldn't take long to search the town; he might even be able to ask around to see if anyone knew "Bob Pinciotti". Shouldn't be hard to find an Italian with slicked hair and a thick accent in a small cow-town. He smirked to himself, thinking about the huge reward he'd be picking up in a few days. He could afford a week in Aruba at the finest resort with this bonus. The real prize, though, was the new boss' gratitude. Mr. G would be very pleased that this issue had been resolved. Nothing a boss hated more than looking weak, and there was nothing weaker than letting a snitch get away.

He figured he could be in Point Place by tomorrow afternoon. It might take until evening to find "Bob". That was better, actually, now that he thought about it. Folks would be turning in early on a Monday, especially after a holiday weekend. He'd be able to get to Bob, and do a much more thorough job of cleanup this time. He wouldn't be interrupted, unless Palermo had gotten himself a girlfriend. Unlikely, the man thought, as nobody could ever figure out how he managed to get Margaret in the first place.

All in all, July 6th was shaping up to be a fine day for the man. He folded the map and leaned back on his pillows. Sipping his beer and finishing his burger, he thought longingly of a large plate of baked ziti at Angelo's as his first dinner when he got home. He was tired of road food, and nobody outside New York could cook Italian food to save their life. Maybe he'd be rewarded with his own restaurant eventually, when the wet work was someone else's responsibility. He fell asleep watching the ball game, happily dreaming of an endless supply of chianti and red sauce covered dishes served on pristine white plates.

* * *

Back in Point Place

Bob's ears perked up at the sound of cars pulling into Red's driveway. Dashing out of his kitchen he saw the El Dorado followed by the Vista Cruiser and a yellow Triumph Spitfire. Donna parked the El Dorado and made to go into Red and Kitty's house, as Kelso, Eric, Red, Kitty, Fez and a beautiful new girl followed her. As she reached the door, Bob called out to her, "DONNA MARIE PINCIOTTI! You get your ass back here!"

Donna froze, uncertain what she had done to cause her father to yell at her like that. She turned around and saw him marching across the yard and up Red's driveway. "Dad? What's wrong?"

"Where the hell have you been? You leave a note saying you need the car for a bit and you don't come home? I've been looking for you everywhere!" he yelled. He'd meant to start this calmer and with more reason in his voice; he needed to stay calm to get through what he had to tell her. "Donna, you need to come inside with me. I've got some things to discuss with you."

"Dad, whatever it is, it has to wait," Donna started, slightly annoyed at his overreaction, "We're all going to look for Hyde. He's been missing for a week, so I went to Chicago to get everyone to help me find him."

"Well, they'll have to look without you. You and I need to talk Donna. Now!" He said the last word without a hint of request in his voice. He was running short on time, and he wasn't sure how long this would take.

"Dad, I promise, I won't..." she began, but Bob held up a hand and cut her off.

"No, Donna, there is no discussion. You, me, kitchen, now," and he took her by the arm and started marching back to the house with her.

"Dad! What the hell?" Donna cried, wrenching her arm free, "I'm an adult! You can't just treat me like-"

"Like what? Like a spoiled kid whose only concern is herself? Like a woman who's supposed to be above petty mind-games and immature scheming? Like the kind of person who concocts a plan to ruin her ex-boyfriend's happiness so she can feel better about herself and her miserable life?" yelled Bob, completely losing all patience, "I am not asking, Donna. I am telling you, because I don't have time to argue with you. Now GET YOUR ASS IN THE HOUSE!" he roared.

Eric stood right behind them. Tapping Donna on the shoulder he said, "Donna, is this true? Was all this just to get me here for some kind of messed-up reconciliation?"

Donna looked at him, then at Amina, and decided to go for broke. Her dad had outed her anyway, the direct path was all she had left. "Eric, I just.." she paused, "I missed you so much. I know you broke up with me because you thought I was better off without you, but I wasn't! I was miserable! I tried dating Randy, but we have nothing in common but sex! I lost my job. I'm not in school. Eric, you said 'home doesn't feel like home anymore', but baby," she reached out to touch his face, "that's because you thought I wasn't here to come home to. I'm here, Eric. Come home to me, baby. We can live wherever you want, I'll do whatever you want. Let's just go back to when we were good," she finished, drawing closer as though to kiss him.

Eric looked directly into Donna's eyes. He saw the emotion in them, those eyes he had loved since they were small children. He put his hand over hers, and gently removed it from his face. "Donna, I don't want to go back. You and I, we aren't meant to finish our stories together. I didn't break up with you because I felt unworthy of you; I broke up with you because I realized we weren't in love with each other anymore. Honestly, I don't know that you ever loved me that way. I'm not saying this to be cruel. I'm saying this because you need to confront the truth. You and I do not have a future together. You're miserable because you never formed real friendships or relationships with other people. You missed out on the one we could have had, and the one you and Jackie could have had, because you were more concerned with being 'better' than us than being with us. I'm in love with Amina. She's my life, my future, my home. And I really, really want you to find that too. So let's end this and that way you can move on. Donna," he held his hand out to her, "it was great seeing you again, I wish you luck wherever you go from here, you'll always be special to me."

Donna stared at him. A handshake? Was he fucking serious? "Eric-" she began.

"No, Donna," it was Bob this time, "he's offering you a kinder gesture than you deserve right now. Take it. Shake his hand, wish him well, and come inside." He looked at his daughter with no hint of uncertainty.

Donna reached out and shook Eric's hand. "Goodbye Eric. You'll regret this. I was better than you could have hoped for. I made you better. Good luck with her," and she nodded stiffly in Amina's direction, "and tell Jackie I said 'Go to hell'. I hope that pathetic brat dies miserable and alone," and she walked into her house, slamming the door behind her.

Bob turned to Eric and held out his hand, "Eric, I wish you and Amina all the joy in the world. Be good to each other, and take care of Jackie for me. I miss that kid."

Eric shook Bob's hand and grinned back at him. "Will do, sir. Hope she doesn't give you too much trouble," he said, nodding in Donna's direction.

Bob returned Eric's smile half-heartedly. "I have a feeling we'll reach a good understanding." Bob walked towards the kitchen, then turned to wave. One last time.

* * *

Donna was at the kitchen table, peeling the label off a beer bottle. When Bob walked in she glared hard at him, "Way to go, Dad," she said bitterly, "I had a plan, you know! Eric and I are meant for each other! He's been in love with me for sixteen years-".

Bob held up a hand, "Enough, Donna," he said quietly, "your mother is dead." He said it as gently as he could, for the extreme lack of patience he currently possessed.

Donna stared at Bob. She blinked several times. Bob waited for her to speak, sure she was trying to process his statement.

"What... Mom? When? How?" she blurted out, "She wasn't sick, was she?"

Bob sighed. _So this is how it starts._ "No, Donna, she wasn't sick. She was murdered. They found her yesterday, her friend who worked with her did. The police think your mom's friend just missed the perpetrator."

Donna couldn't breathe. Her lungs weren't capable of pulling air into them. The room was changing color, from harvest gold to black.

"Donna!" Bob caught her as she slumped forward, "Donna!" he tapped her face. Her eyes snapped open and she stared back at her father.

"Why would anyone hurt Mom?" she said, tears falling thick and fast down her cheeks. "She wouldn't hurt anyone!"

"That story starts before you were born, kitten," Bob said, holding her hand in his. "Your mom and I, and you, used to live in New York City."

"No we didn't!" Donna shook her head, almost amused at her dad's confusion, "We lived in New _Jersey_ , Dad. Remember? We stayed with Uncle Carmine in Hoboken while you and Mom saved up money to move out here."

Bob chuckled a little, he couldn't believe she had remembered that of all things. "Carmine Santini ran a safe house in Hoboken. We stayed there while I testified at a Federal RICO trial against the mob." He paused to let that sink in. "Donna, before you were born, before I ever met your mom. I started working for the mob in New York. I had a good head for numbers; they liked my style. I enjoyed the money and the feeling that I was important. But the mob ain't the mob for no reason. I never wanted my customers to get hurt. The bosses gave me their word- so long as I kept the money coming in, I could handle my customers my way. I kept up my end of the deal, but one day I walked in on them... let's just say they weren't too bothered with keeping their word. So I turned myself in to the FBI, became an informant. I could decipher the cooked books, give testimony on assaults, show them where assets were hidden. All in exchange for a chance to start fresh with my family. So we left New York when you were just about five years old, after the trials were wrapped up. Ben McCormack, I don't know if you remember him, he was our witness protection marshal. He's a real good man. He brought us here, helped us settle in, and he's kept track of us all these years. When Margaret- that was your mom's real name- moved out to California, Ben kept an eye on her. Checked in with her every week, and made sure she was okay. He was the one who got the call yesterday. Donna, they're sure it was one of the family's 'specialists' who did this. Ben heard that a new boss is rising in New York. He doesn't tolerate snitching, so every witness who testified in the last twenty years has a contract out on them. I don't know how they found her, but Ben is certain that they'll find us soon. Donna, you're going to have to leave. You're going to have to become someone else and disappear again."

Donna tried to process everything her father had just said. This was insane! Her face must have betrayed her disbelief, because Bob pulled the small photo album close to her.

"Here, sweetie," he said, opening the first page, "all the proof is in here. This is mine and Margaret's marriage certificate. Your original birth certificate. A few photos we had that your mom thought you should see if the time came."

Her hands trembled as she pulled the book close. Her birth certificate was for "Antonia Lucia Palermo", her birthdate of February 5, 1960. Her mother was listed as Margaret Ann O'Brien and her father as Francesco Antonio Palermo. She had been born in the Bronx, at Lebanon Hospital. "Antonia," she whispered, a sweet sound hitting her ears.

"Margaret used to call you 'Nia' for short. Ben picked out Donna. It was the only name out of a hundred you actually liked," Bob smiled through his tears.

"Why didn't you guys tell me?" she said, knowing the answer but wanting more of an explanation.

"Oh, Nia, we hoped we'd never have to."

The name sounded like a bell ringing in her ears. It was bringing in floods of memories, half of which she weren't even sure were true.

"But..." she struggled to form the words she needed, "where do I go? How do I disappear? And why did you say 'you'? Don't you mean 'we'?"

"Nia, don't worry. Ben will take care of that. We just need to get you packed and on the road soon. He's expecting you in the next day or so."

"Why do you keep saying 'you'? Where are you going?" she asked, growing increasingly hysterical.

"Nia, I'm heading elsewhere for awhile. They're after me, and it's just better planning to have us go in different directions for a while. We'll see each other soon. This will give you a chance to build your life on your own terms with nothing holding you back. Honey, eighteen years ago I took this same chance and it led me here. To lifelong friends, a business and an invention of my own, and a life I wouldn't have known otherwise. This can be a great thing, if you let it."

"Daddy," she cried, "I don't think I can do this without you!"

"Antonia Lucia," he said, lifting her chin up so she could look at him, "you can do this and much more. And you will. You just need to find the courage to jump. You'll grow your wings on the way down."

Donna sobbed and hugged her father tightly. Stroking his only child's smooth red hair, he tried to remember exactly what she smelled like, the weight of her head on his shoulder. He would miss this so very much. He held her until she stopped crying, then gently brushed her tears away. "Nia, let's get you packed. We need to get you on the road before dark. I know this hurts, but you can't say goodbye to anyone. Not Randy, not Hyde, nobody. Once we've got you packed I'll give you Ben's information. He knows what to do."

Donna nodded and rose from the table. She went upstairs and went through her closet. Her father helped her pick out a variety of clothes and pack them into 2 suitcases. Her toiletries went into a small case, and then he turned to ask her a question, "Nia, if you could take one thing with you from this room, what would you take?"

Donna looked around her room. Her posters, her journals, her books- they all looked like meaningless junk compared to the man in the middle of the room. "You," she said, "I'd take you, Dad."

Bob smiled a brilliant smile. This. This was the moment he'd remember forever. "That's sweet, kiddo, but I won't fit in your suitcase. Ben let Margaret and I choose one thing each to take with us. We snuck the photo album, but I brought a pizza tray from Mama Luciano's Pizzeria where I ate lunch every day and your mom brought a painting she bought from our church in the Bronx. So look around, anything you want to remind you of the happy times in Point Place?"

Donna looked again. There was a picture of her, Eric, Hyde, Jackie, Fez and Kelso. They were all smiling happily at the camera, sitting in the basement, probably on an ordinary day. She'd framed it and never taken it off her shelf. She couldn't remember the day, but they all looked so happy, undivided by life and loyalties. She picked it up and held it out to her father.

"That's a good one, Nia. C'mon, let's get you in the car."

Bob walked her out, making sure Eric and the rest were nowhere in sight. He leaned in to the driver's side of the car. "Nia, here's Ben McCormack's address and phone number. Go straight there. You should make it before midnight. I'll phone him when you leave, so he'll have an idea of when you should be there. You stop only for gas, nothing else, and here's enough cash for whatever you need on the road. I've turned over the account information and custody of it to Ben. He'll square those away for you," he looked at his daughter for a long moment, trying to memorize her face, "Antonia, I love you kiddo. Never forget that. Your mom and I both love you to the end of time."

Donna blinked back the tears and hugged her dad around the neck one last time. "I'll see you soon, right?" she said, "You promised."

"Real soon, honey. When we see each other again, it'll be like no time has passed."

"Love you, Dad."

"Love you, too, Princess."

Donna put the El Dorado in reverse and slowly backed out of the driveway. She kept her eyes on her father, unsure of when she would see him next, and waved sadly from the street. He waved back, and blew her a kiss. She set her eyes forward and looked at the paper.

Ben McCormack

300 S. 4th St.

Minneapolis, MN

555-822-5065

Minneapolis... looks like Minnesota was calling to her after all.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The grossest bar in Wisconsin… literally

July 6th

Steven Hyde wasn't sure if the taste in his mouth was residual vomit left from his last trip to the bathroom or the high quality "beer" this establishment kept on tap. He wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to know. All he knew was that he'd ended up here, as Donna had asked, and he'd been here for 3 days. Morning to night he drank himself into a stupor, stumbling out to his car to sleep off an alcoholic haze. Each morning he woke, both hoping to see his angel's face looking at him and simultaneously wishing he hadn't woken at all. He figured a few more days of drinking at this pace would make this decision for him.

He lifted his head from the edge of the bar and caught a glimpse of himself in the grimy mirrored backsplash. His beard was scraggly and unkempt, his hair almost matted on one side from where he slept every night. His face had a yellow tinge, or maybe that was just the accumulated filth of decades on the mirrored surface. He fervently hoped so. If he was going to go out like a rock star, he'd at least like it to be an unjaundiced one.

He signaled to the bartender to bring him another when he felt a hand land on his shoulder. Turning precariously on his stool he tried to focus on the face to his right. Taking a seat, Eric Foreman looked at him with concern and something else… pity? Anger? Maybe a mix?

"Hyde," he said, by way of greeting, "How about we get some coffee instead?"

"Foreman, man," Hyde said, his speech a little slurred and quiet, "Don't drink the coffee here. Or the beer. Or the water. It all tastes like barf."

Eric looked at his friend and shook his head. He wasn't in any kind of mood for this. They'd searched for him all night, gotten a few hours of rest, then widened the perimeter. Kelso had gone as far south as Kenosha, Fez had headed north towards Sheboygan, Red and Kitty were travelling the road to Milwaukee and Amina was at home manning the phones. Donna had never shown back up yesterday, and Bob had told Eric this morning that he sent her to stay with her aunt until she could "pull herself together". Eric had deeply appreciated this and hoped Bob understood what that meant to him. An extra layer of drama was so not necessary at this point.

"Okay, Hyde," he said, heaving his brother up by the armpits, "We're going home."

Steven pulled himself away from Eric and sat back down. "Foreman, I gotta finish my beer. It'd be bad manners to leave it half full."

Eric sighed and gestured to the glass, "Hyde, it's nearly empty!" he cried.

"See, Foreman, that's why I'm the optimist of the group."

Eric had had enough. "Hyde, let's go. Now."

"Who's gonna make me Foreskin?"

Eric hauled back and decked Hyde. He watched him fall off the barstool and collapse on the floor, glasses broken, completely unconscious. Grabbing him in a fireman's carry, Eric walked out with Hyde, tossing a $20 on the table by the door. In the parking lot, Eric dumped Hyde in the flat bed of the Camino. He climbed inside, grabbed the keys from the ashtray and started the car. Rolling down the windows, he headed back to his house. Everyone had agreed to meet back at noon with an update. He was just anxious to call Jackie and let her know Steven was fine.

Michael was pulling into the driveway at the same time as Eric. Seeing the Camino, Kelso jumped out of the car and ran to see Eric alone in the car. "Where's Hyde?" he asked.

Eric jerked his thumb at the flat bed. Still unconscious, snoring peacefully, was Hyde. He looked bad. His skin was yellowish, one eye was developing a spectacular black and blue bruise, and his glasses were broken. Kelso was pretty sure that the crusty substance on his clothes was days old vomit, and he dry-heaved a little just thinking about it.

Eric got out of the vehicle and heaved Hyde onto his shoulders again. Kelso looked impressed. "Eric, man, you got a lot stronger while you were gone!"

"Yeah, I guess all that manual labor paid off. Hey, open the door, will you? I want to get Señor Stinky into the shower and off my clothes."

Eric carried Hyde into the house and up the stairs to the bedroom. Opening the door to the bathroom he dumped Hyde into the shower and turned on the water. Making sure his face wasn't completely covered, he turned and left. Hyde continued to snore.

Walking downstairs again, Eric heard Amina say hello to Kelso and then inquire about Hyde. "I found him, babe," he told her, pushing open the swinging door to the kitchen, "Kelso was right yesterday. He was at the cheapest bar closest to town, but not actually within city limits. Nice work, man." He gave Kelso a high five.

Kelso took the compliment and turned back to Amina. "What were you saying about Jackie?"

"Oh! Yes, she called this morning, right after you all left. She said she had fixed her schedule and was on her way here. I told her we had not yet found Steven, but she kept saying she couldn't sit in Evanston anymore. So I told her to drive carefully and I would make sure to tell Eric," Amina finished.

"Dammit!" Eric swore. This was going to piss Red off to no end. He had left her with specific instructions. _Wait until we find him, then I'll call you._ "Does she know about Donna?" Eric asked quickly, scanning his fiancée's face for signs of trouble.

"She knows Donna set us up, _dušo_. She suspected when I told her Donna left last night after the argument in the driveway. The she said, 'That takes care of one problem at least', but I do not know what she meant… She does not know if Donna and Steven planned this together, though," she said nervously, "Did you find out? Did Steven know?"

"Well, he definitely looks like he's been on a months long bender," said Eric, "Whether he knew Donna was using that to lure us and Jackie here, who can say? He's currently passed out under the shower in my bathroom. But once he wakes up I'm going to get my answers."

Kelso had remained quiet throughout the conversation. He looked from Amina to Eric and then said, "I don't know if it matters, Eric."

"What do you mean, Kelso? If Hyde went along with this just to get Jackie back here…"

"Yeah, that's kinda my point," he said, "Whether Hyde planned this with Donna, or was just a convenient patsy, it doesn't change the fact that Jackie is on her way. If she sees him and talks to him…" he trailed off, not wanting to voice doubt in his ex-girlfriend's new resolve. He hated thinking of her as the girl who would give up everything she worked for, just for the chance to be with Hyde.

"I see what you're getting at," said Eric, "but I think she's strong enough to see him and have that be enough." He paused, considering Kelso's concern. "But maybe we limit their time alone together and get moving on finding him a rehab?" he said.

"I'm on it!" they heard Amina say. Eric grinned at his love. She loved to help, however she could. "I'm going to the hospital, Eric. Your mama told me that the nurses there are very helpful. I am sure they know of a good place for bad drinkers."

"Thanks, sweetheart," said Eric, mentally storing that last phrase in case he ever decided to open up a rehab center. "We'll stay here to let everyone else know what's going on."

Amina waved and grabbed the keys to the Camino from Eric. "Wait!" he called, "Do you know how to drive a stick shift?"

Amina turned and grinned at her soon-to-be husband. "Eric, in Yugoslavia, even the President drives a stick shift!" Then she turned and settled into the Camino, quickly snatching up the filthy blanket and bringing it inside. "Yeeeeech, Eric, please have your mother disinfect this! It is disgusting!" She left again, this time driving the car away smoothly.

Eric looked at the blanket. It was the same goose down duvet that used to adorn Hyde's cot downstairs. Jackie had given this to him. It smelled like he'd been sleeping in it for months. The rancid odor coming from the material was powerful, but Eric also thought he smelled a trace of Jackie's perfume on it. His mind was in overdrive. It was completely out of character for Hyde to be sentimental about anything, least of all a blanket. Maybe his brother had a deeper side to him.

Before long, Red and the rest of the search party returned. Eric and Kelso filled them all in, while Kitty went upstairs to check on Hyde. Eric also told Red about Jackie's imminent arrival. True to form, Red swore, smashed a coffee cup and then took a deep breath. "Well, we'll just have to manage the damage when she gets here I guess," and went to sit on his favorite chair.

From upstairs the group heard Kitty yell, "I need some help! Quick!"

Taking the steps two at a time, Eric, Fez and Kelso all arrived at the tiny doorway to the bathroom. Hyde was covered in vomit and shaking all over. "Eric, Michael, get him out of the tub and onto the floor. Don't drop his head. Turn him on his side. His right side. Fez, go grab my medicine bag from my bathroom, under the sink," she barked the orders at them like a drill sergeant. It was impressive to watch how she triaged, thought Eric. So calm, so abrupt. His mother's patients were lucky people.

Fez rushed back in with her medicine bag, and Kitty withdrew a small bottle and needle. "What is that, Mrs. F?" asked Kelso.

Kitty didn't answer right away. She withdrew some liquid from the vial and pushed the needle into Stevens arm. His shaking subsided and she capped the needle and pushed the vial back into its spot. "It's a benzodiazepine, Michael. It'll help calm his shakes and keep him sedated until his body can process the alcohol out," she said, "Boys, I'm going to be in for a rough night, so please do what you can to help me out. Amina said she'd cook for you, but I need you guys to round up Steven's things, get his treatment program set up and talk with WB. Can you guys take care of that?"

All three looked at her solemnly and nodded. She'd been their mother, all of theirs, for so many years. Now, though, one of them needed all her focus. They'd do whatever they could to help, especially for her.

"Good," she said. "Now, why don't you guys let Red know what happened. I'll call you when I'm sure it's safe to move him."

While Kelso filled Red in on Hyde's condition, Eric and Fez went back to the kitchen to divvy up the "Steven chores". Halfway through their list, Jackie opened the sliding glass door and ran for her brother.

"Eric!" she said, letting go of their perfunctory hug, "Did you find him yet?"

Eric held onto his little sister's shoulders tightly. "Yes, we did," he said, grasping her more firmly as she tried to dart away, "but listen, Jackie, he's in really bad shape. Mom is watching over him right now and I think it'd be best to wait until she gives us the okay." He finished and loosened his hold on her slightly.

Jackie nodded and looked to Fez and then back to Eric, "How bad is bad?" she asked in a tiny voice. _Please let him be okay. Just let him recover._

"Mom hasn't given us an official opinion yet, but we think he's going to have severe withdrawal symptoms for a while. It looked like he was having a seizure earlier, but she said it was the 'shakes' which I guess is different. He also hasn't woken up yet," said Eric.

"Okay then," she replied, "What _can_ I do to help?"

"Well, Miss Kitty wanted us to make sure that we have everything ready to go once Hyde can be put into rehab, and someone needs to coordinate with WB. Do you want to take that one?" Fez asked.

"Absolutely, Fez," she said earnestly. Talking to WB felt like the right move just now. "I'm going to call him and tell him to meet me here. Eric, where should I put my stuff?"

All three of them looked mystified. Eric and Amina had his room, Hyde was going to be in Laurie's room, Fez had an apartment but no guest room, and Michael was sleeping on the couch- which left…. "The basement still has a bed…" Eric offered.

Jackie pondered the options. "Oh my god! I totally forgot about Bob! Since Donna's not here I can stay there I think! I'll go ask him real quick!" and she ran out the sliding door to see Bob about a room.

* * *

July 6th

Pinciotti house

Bob looked around each room. Fixing in his mind's eye what his home looked like. He'd packed everything up and waited until he heard everyone else leave. He'd given Eric a plausible, open-ended story that the kid had willingly accepted. He phoned a taxi and arranged for it to pick him up in 20 minutes. He'd head to Milwaukee, then catch a plane to New York City. He'd even sprung for first-class. He hoped it was everything he imagined. He looked at the furniture Margaret had picked out when they first moved in. She was so disappointed in being placed in Wisconsin that she told Frankie she wanted to get "really nice, high-class furniture" to make sure Nia grew up with sophistication. He'd indulged her and her first pick had been that turquoise couch. It was the most uncomfortable couch in history, but Margaret… he'd always called her Maggie in private… had loved it so.

The kitchen and dining room were full of the appliances and housewares from his now-defunct store. Not that Maggie had been a great cook. She'd been okay with corned beef, roasts and potatoes, but every time she had cooked pasta or red sauce it'd been a disaster. He smiled at the memories and moved on. Donna's bedroom was just the way he left it, except that he'd removed all the photos and journals and burned them in the fireplace. No trace of her, except her scent would remain.

His and Maggie's bedroom was the way she had left it almost five years ago. He couldn't bear to change anything, not even when Pam had moved in temporarily. She must have known it was Maggie's mark or else thought Bob had very effeminate taste. Either way, she hadn't made a fuss about it. "You're one classy lady Pammy, wherever you are," he said to the room.

He heard a car horn beep outside and went downstairs to grab his travel bag. On the counter was a note addressed to "Mr. G's errand boy":

 _Listen here, you piece of garbage,_

 _I'll meet you on our old ground, like a man._

 _See you if you decide to show your face,_

 _Frankie Palermo_

He took one last sweeping look around and walked out the door. Once inside the taxi, he took a few deep breaths and relaxed. Antonia was safe, he was going home, and this would all finally be over in a few days. He settled back into the cushions and watched the Wisconsin scenery flash by. The beautiful bright green of summer was thick on the ground, and the sky was a radiant blue. Wisconsin was giving Frankie Palermo, aka Bob Pinciotti, a very fond farewell.

* * *

Later that Day

Jackie rang the doorbell and knocked on the back door several times. Bob's car was gone, and the lights were out. _Maybe he went to check on Donna? I'm sure he won't mind if I stay for a few days. I'll just grab the key from the garage and put it back when I leave._

She found the key and let herself in. Everything seemed in order. A note on the counter was addressed to a Mr. G's errand boy. She wondered who the hell that was? Maybe a delivery boy? Well, she'd make sure to deliver it if someone stopped by.

She went upstairs and knocked on Donna's door, just in case. Nobody was there so she deposited her suitcases and books and went downstairs again. She was hoping Mrs. Foreman would have an update soon. She turned and looked at the room again. It felt like something was off, but Jackie couldn't figure it out. Shrugging her shoulders she headed back to Eric's to check in.

* * *

Point Place Post Office

The man had made excellent time. He checked out the post office, which by early afternoon was completely empty. He stopped by the donut shop and the "Hub", a restaurant full of loud teenagers. Nobody had yet pointed out Bob, and the few people he asked just said he lived in one of the "family neighborhoods" off Green Bay Blvd.

He wasn't worried, though. A town this small would be impossible to hide in for more than a day. He ate his lunch at Phillies Café and proceeded to the hospital. If Bob was there for some reason, he could come up with a good reason to see him, maybe even blame the death on the hospital!

He stood in line at the nurse's station behind a pretty little brunette with a swinging ponytail. She was inquiring about rehab centers for a friend and the nurse was giving her every brochure ever made. He tapped her lightly on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, miss, sorry to interrupt. I overheard your question and I just wanted to say that my sister was taken to our local sanitarium in New York and had great success. The doctors treated her like a patient instead of a criminal. If your local hospital offers one I'd take it." He was earnest in his advice. His kid sister had been on death's doorstep a few years ago. Her battle with booze had started way too early, and he hadn't been around to help. If she hadn't gotten clean, well, he shuddered to think of life without his only friend. Granted, she talked a lot more about Jesus now, but he figured it was still a good trade.

"Thank you so much, sir!" she said in a pretty accent. "I hope you have a wonderful day," and with that she stepped away from the desk, still clutching a handful of brochures.

"How can I help you, sir?" asked the nurse.

"Actually, ma'am, I'm looking for my cousin- Bob Pinciotti. I wondered if you could tell me if he's checked in?" he asked politely.

She glanced through her clipboard and shook her head, "No, I'm sorry sir, he's not on the list for any of my wards."

"Excuse me, sir," the pretty girl from before tapped him on the shoulder, "but I heard your question this time!" She smiled, "And my fiancée has a neighbor named Bob! Could this be your Bob, too?"

The man smiled. _Lady luck shines at last_. "Could be!" he said, "Is your fiancée's neighbor kinda short with black hair? Has a funny accent and maybe wears his clothes a little too tight?"

The pretty brunette smiled too. "He does! I think our Bob is the same!" she said, laughing.

"Well, that's great. Say, would you mind writing down the address? I just want to have it down so I don't lose it again," he said genially.

The girl grabbed a pen from her purse and wrote Eric's address on the front of one of the brochures. "There, this is our house and our Bob lives just on this side. The outside is yellow and the lawn has many little fat men on it."

A bit bemused by her description, he pocketed the information and thanked her warmly. As she walked away he hoped she wouldn't remember him, hopefully this wouldn't even register with her when "Bob" went missing.

* * *

Back at the Foreman's House

" _Jackie…" He reached for her. She was just out of his grasp. His hands moved to her face, but she pulled away, laughing._

" _Jackie, be careful!" He tried to shout at her. She was too close to the edge! He lunged for her, but he was too late. She fell backwards, screaming his name as she plummeted._

" _JACKIE!" He screamed, trying to throw himself over the edge too. But there was a wall in the air. He couldn't leave the cliff's edge. He could only watch her fall, powerless to help her or join her. He collapsed on the ground, still calling her name…._

"He doesn't look much better," said Eric, sitting on the end of Laurie's old bed. His mother was seated in a chair next to the bed, a book propped open in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.

"He's moaning and sleeping in fits," said Kitty, "Once his body starts to move the alcohol out he'll start to look better. I've heard him say a few things that were intelligible, so that's encouraging."

"Like what?" asked Eric nervously.

"Mostly it's just Jackie's name and 'Be Careful'" she replied, taking a sip of her wine. "Honey, it'll be okay. You have to trust me. Now, how is Amina doing?"

"She's fine, Mom," Eric said, "She's down at the hospital getting rehab information for us. Jackie's talking to WB and Fez went to track down Hyde's things from his last landlord."

"Oh, good," Kitty said, sighing deeply and closing her eyes, "I just can't believe how far things went. Red and I knew he was drinking, but we didn't know he'd lost his apartment! He never said anything to us!"

"That's kind of his M.O., Mom," Eric replied, "Hyde doesn't ask for help. He crashes and burns and takes everyone down with him." His tone was uncharacteristically bitter. He had always granted his adopted brother an extraordinary amount of license growing up, owing to Edna and Bud's criminal lack of parenting skills. Still, he'd reached the end of his tether with this latest stunt. Whatever else happened here in Point Place, he wasn't keen on giving Hyde a chance to destroy everything Jackie and he had built in Evanston.

"Sweetheart," Kitty said soothingly, "I know this must be tough for you to watch, and I know you're worried about Jackie. But please try to have a little more faith in your dad and I! Maybe even try a little more faith in Jackie! She's not the same girl she was a year and a half ago. I think she just needed to make sure he was going to be okay." She tilted back the wine and glanced at the clock. "Eric, I need a shower and I don't want to leave Steven alone right now. Can you watch him for a half an hour?"

"Anything for you, Mom," he said with a wink. He still hadn't lost his goofy facial expressions completely, and Kitty grinned in response. Patting his shoulder she exited and he took her place in the chair.

" _Jackie…"_

Eric looked at Hyde. He was sure he'd just said something.

" _Jackie… Be careful…. Too close…. Love"_

Eric sighed and tried not to give in to the hopeless romantic in him. He knew Hyde still loved Jackie. Still, loving someone and being good for them were two entirely different things. Romeo and Juliet, after all….

Eric rubbed his temples. His head was absolutely killing him. Standing up he went to Laurie's nightstand where she kept her face cream and beauty products. Maybe she had some leftover aspirin in there. The top drawer was full of condoms of every shape and size, and a few Polaroids of Laurie in her birthday suit. _Well, this will be burned into my retinas for eternity._

He opened the next drawer to find vitamins and a few bottles of pills. Picking them up he examined a few of them. All various OTC pain relievers. Opening the first he shook it to find several small, tightly sealed pouches of white powder. Dumping them on the top of the nightstand he opened the next to find a thin, linear rubber band coiled up tight. With rising dread he opened the last bottle and found a few small hypodermic needles crammed into the bottle. _Holy. Fuck. What had Laurie been doing? Was this why she had disappeared? Did Mom and Dad know?_

The door opened behind him and Fez came in, "Well, I spoke with Hyde's last landlord and he said Hyde rented a furnished apartment. So the only things he brought were a few small boxes…." He trailed off when he saw Eric. "Eric! What are you doing?"

Eric looked down at his hands and the nightstand. "Oh my god, Fez! No! This isn't mine! I found it in Laurie's drawer when I was looking for some aspirin!"

Fez approached and studied the paraphernalia. He looked at Eric, "This is heroin, man. That's some serious shit to mess with." He was paler than Eric had ever seen him, but he had a strangely triumphant look on his face. Before he could inquire, though, Fez had shoveled everything back in the bottles and dumped it all into a small purse of Laurie's. "I'll get rid of this. Don't say anything to Miss Kitty or Red, it would kill them."

Eric nodded and turned back to Hyde. He was still asleep. "Fez, can you make sure everyone knows that Amina said dinner will be ready at 8? She didn't want Mom to have to eat cold leftovers."

Fez nodded and hurried downstairs. Heading through the kitchen to his car he heard Red call out to him, "Hey Tonto! Is that a purse you're carrying?"

Fez turned and gave him a dazzling grin, "It rounds off my ensemble nicely, don't you think?" and with a flourish, he strode out the sliding door. Deeply thankful, for once, of Red's suspicion of his orientation.

Dinner that night was pretty enjoyable. Everyone loved the ćufte and rice pilaf. For dessert she had made pavlovas with berries. Kitty had had pavlovas one time when she was younger, at a very fancy restaurant. She had never lost an opportunity to mention them, and Eric had relayed this to Amina. From what he understood they were a bit labor intensive to make, and he'd been suitably impressed when she agreed to it. Kitty was rapturous as the delicate meringue desserts were brought to the table. She waved her hands and kissed Amina on the cheek, launching into the story of her first pavlova.

* * *

By 10:30 everyone was pretty beat. Jackie waved goodnight and set off across the lawn to the Pinciotti's house. Fez and Michael were going to split the night shift tonight with Kitty so nobody got worn out. Red was already in bed, his nerves and temper having exhausted him over the last 48 hours. Eric and Amina were going to turn in early, hoping to get a jump start on Hyde's rehab admission tomorrow.

As the neighborhood descended into quiet rustlings and lights in homes flickered out one by one, a man walked quietly down the street towards the address on a brochure. The handwriting was difficult to discern in the dark and the streetlamps gave only a small illumination. He grabbed a flashlight from his pocket and quickly flashed it on the house number. He flicked the beam towards the nearest home and saw he was only 3 or 4 houses away. Continuing down the sidewalk, careful to avoid direct light, he paused in front of a home with no less than twenty garden gnomes in the front lawn. Well, twenty garden gnomes and one oddly placed statue of the Buddha. He quickly searched for a number and the mailbox confirmed that this was his desired location.

He crept towards the side of the house, inspecting his surroundings for any sign of neighbors or animals that might alert to his presence. His left hand returned the flashlight to his waist band and retrieved a lock-pick set from his pocket. The sound of approaching footsteps caused him to flatten his body against an overgrown hedgerow and he prayed the shadow coverage would conceal him.

A young man with flowing hair was striding up the back walkway. Taking out keys from his pocket he unlocked the door and marched inside. Clearly the kid was angry, because he shouted, "Donna! Where are you? Why have you been avoiding me all day?"

 _Donna. Perfect, this is the right house._ He hated complications, but his revolver would eliminate this moron pretty quick. Donna too, if need be. The boss would appreciate it if there were no loose ends left anyway. He crept in through the unlocked back door and closed it quietly, locking it behind him. Time was wearing on, he needed to get this done and get the hell out of Wisconsin.

" _Donna?..."_ Jackie struggled through the fog in her head to interpret her surroundings. She was in a bed with a hideous floral print blanket, the sound of a man calling Donna's name had woken her. She jumped out of bed and pulled on her bathrobe. The voice calling for Donna was familiar. _Randy. Jesus Christ. Bet she didn't tell him she was leaving._

Jackie sighed and made to pull open the door. "Randy? It's Jackie, Donna's not…." but the explanation died in her throat. Randy was standing in the hallway, struggling with an even larger man. The man had a knife in one hand and a gun in a holster on his waistband. Jackie felt frozen. What the hell was going on? Then, kicked out of her momentary stupor by the helpful release of adrenaline, Jackie did something absolutely no one who knew her would have expected.

Jackie charged the struggling pair, screaming like a banshee the whole way. Ninety-five pounds of angry brunette hit the duo at the top of the stairs and they all tumbled down the narrow stairway together. Jackie was caught between the bannister and Randy's back when they landed and she pushed with all the strength in her legs. His limp dead weight fell off her and she jumped to her feet. The other man was lying in a crumpled heap at the foot of the stairs. Jackie made a beeline for the kitchen and was nearly to the door when two strong arms wrapped her in a bear hug from behind. One hand made its way to her mouth as she screamed, kicking and flailing to try and break free.

Across the street, Red and Kitty were awoken by a knock on their bedroom door. "Red, I think I heard screams coming from next door," Kelso said, "Can you come with me for backup?" Without waiting for an answer, Michael bolted from the landing at top speed. Red sat bolt upright and opened his bedside table. Withdrawing his revolver, he stood and followed Kelso. Reaching Bob's back door he saw Kelso banging on it, shouting, "Jackie? Open up! We heard noises and we just want to check on you!"

Tapping him on the shoulder, Red signaled his intent to check the front door. Kelso nodded and continued to try and open the door.

Inside the house the man whispered menacingly in Jackie's ear, "Where are Bob and Donna? You answer me now and I'll walk away. You scream and," he cocked the hammer on his revolver, "I'll shoot you and **then** I'll walk away. Got it, princess?"

Jackie nodded. He removed his hand and she sucked in some air, "I honestly don't know. Bob used to take care of me when I was in high school. I lived here for a year. Donna left last night to visit a relative. I thought Bob was just out late."

The man swore. This was a huge complication. A whole pile of dead bodies would bring the heat down so hard he wouldn't be able to search for Bob or Donna. He motioned to the master bedroom, "Let's go, toots. We're gonna see if we can find a clue in the next 2 minutes. Otherwise, you're coming with me as insurance and leverage."

"Wait!" Jackie cried, her adrenaline surging back. She had a plan. She mentally crossed her fingers and looked at the man, "You said you're looking for Bob?" The man nodded. "Okay, he left a note for someone on the kitchen counter. Maybe it's for you?"

The man looked at her with deep suspicion. She hurriedly continued, "It's addressed to 'Mr. G's errand boy'. Does that sound like you?"

The man smiled wryly. "Oh Frankie. Always gotta be the tough guy when nobody's around," he said.

Jackie looked confused, "Frankie? I thought you were looking for Bob?"

"One in the same, doll, but I ain't got time for the whole fairytale. Let's go," and he pushed her roughly towards the kitchen.

At the sound of the word "doll" a heat had risen in Jackie's center. Her face became so flushed it felt like it was on fire. She. Was. Pissed. Nobody called her doll. Nobody but Steven. _I'm going to burn you to the last ash, motherfucker._

While Jackie and the man had been talking, Kelso had retrieved Eric from the house. Eric had jimmied the door by using a coat hanger he used to stash in the bushes to open the top part of the jalousie. He stuck his hand through the slats and snaked his arm around to the latch. The door swung open as Jackie walked through the opposite door followed by a man with a gun.

Jackie ducked as the man saw Kelso and Eric and squeezed off a shot. She heard Michael scream and she reached behind her to the space between the doorjamb and pantry. Bob had kept a baseball bat there. She'd found it when she lived there and asked what it was for and why it was there. He'd replied, "It's for anyone who shouldn't be in here and since I'm usually in the kitchen- this is where it stays."

She swung the bat back behind her and aimed a line drive at the man's chin as he raised his gun to Eric. Her swing connected with his jaw and snapped his head back with a sickening crack. His arms splayed out wide and a second crack echoed through the air. Red stood behind Eric, a thin trail of smoke issuing from the end of his gun. Jackie looked down and saw a giant red splotch growing from dead center on the man's chest.

She snapped her gaze to Michael, who was lying motionless on the floor in front of them both. He'd thrown himself forward at the last minute, trying to shield Jackie from harm. It turned out that what lay beneath Michael Kelso's beautiful skin was a genuine hero.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"ERIC!" "RED!" "Jackie!" "Michael…" So many names were being shouted into the night. He could hear them, but they were muffled and coming from many different voices. He struggled against the blackness, the sleep that was pressing on his brain. _Wake up. Wake. Up. Get up. You need to do this. Get up._

* * *

Amina had bolted from the couch as soon as she heard the first gunshot. She didn't feel anything but terror that the other half of her soul was in danger. She ran straight towards the sound of death and screamed for her fiancée, "ERIC!"

Eric was lying on the floor next to a prone figure. He looked up at the sound of her voice and held up a hand as if to say both " _I'm fine."_ and " _Wait, don't come closer."_ all in one gesture. She halted her movement and watched the flurry of activity in the kitchen.

* * *

The second gunshot had shaken Kitty from her reverie. She wasn't used to gunshots. The first hadn't registered with her as she sat pondering the rehab options for Steven. The second, however, was enough to kick her in the ass. She had run the same path as Amina, silently cursing her older age. "RED!" she screamed, needing to hear him reassure her that he was alright. No answer came.

She rounded the hedge and saw two bodies on the floor. One she'd known since he was a child, one was completely foreign to her. Red stood over the second, his revolver aimed at the man's head and he motioned for Kitty to attend to Michael.

She hit the floor and heaved Michael's body over. Her mind went into overdrive as she assessed and triaged the situation. _This is not good. Work faster Kitty. Give him a chance._

* * *

He sat up so fast his head felt like it had become detached from his body. His legs felt shaky, like they wouldn't support him. He squinted in the darkness and found his bearings. Pulling himself upright he hobbled to the door and slowly made his way through the brightly lit house. He had felt a fear he didn't know existed. He was sure it was real, though, or telling him that something real was happening.

He followed the sounds and noises across the driveway to Donna's kitchen. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, her pink plaid flannel pajamas soaked in blood was… "Jackie!"

Her head turned slowly, eyes glassy from shock. Their gazes locked and he fell onto the floor next to her. Searching her for signs of injury he asked frantically, "Baby, where are you hurt? You need to tell me. Jackie?"

She looked at him and gestured to the floor beside her, where two men lay on the linoleum. "Michael…" she whispered and sunk her head onto his shoulder.

* * *

"Fez," barked Kitty, "Get me some towels. Eric, call the ambulance and the police. Amina, I need you to apply pressure right here."

Eric dialed the number for police dispatch and relayed the need for police and paramedics. Within minutes he heard the whine of sirens grow closer. _Thank God for small towns._ He watched as his fiancée deftly maneuvered her fingers around Kitty's as they attempted to staunch the bleeding and keep Kelso's heart from failing. The two women looked like superheroes to him. They were so calm, so efficient, so determined in their movements. Nothing seemed to faze them.

A policeman entered the room and ordered Red to drop his weapon. Red complied and put his hands over his head. As the cop moved into the room with his weapon fixed on Red, Eric waved at him to let him know he was the one who called. Officer Itchy McTriggerFinger, however, seemed more skittish than a wildebeest at the edge of the Nile. He kept swinging his gun from Eric to Red to Fez to Jackie and Hyde and back again.

"Son, if you keep doing that you're gonna kill somebody," drawled a deep slow voice from the door. Kelso's old training supervisor, Officer Kennedy was on the scene.

"Sergeant Kennedy!" said the twitchy officer, snapping to attention with his gun still in his hand. His right hand reflexively shot up to his forehead in a salute and the gun fired off a round that missed Red by an inch. Red rolled his eyes, but kept his hands on his head. _That dumbass is going to kill me, but a Japanese sniper missed twice. Really funny, God._

Sergeant Kennedy strode over to the man and snatched his gun out of his still saluting hand. "Give. Me. That." He snarled at the red-faced patrolman. "Officer Crawford, return to your vehicle and do not move from the front seat." He rolled his eyes and motioned for Red to put his arms down. "Get those paramedics in here! NOW!" he roared as Crawford retreated into the night.

The paramedics rushed in and loaded Kelso onto a stretcher as Kitty continued chest compressions. One of them gently took Amina's hand away from the wound and told her, "We've got it from here. You did a great job." Amina nodded and stepped back. The stretcher was wheeled away and everyone looked down at the enormous pool of blood that had been laying underneath Kelso.

"Okay, Mr. Foreman," said Sergeant Kennedy, "What happened?"

Red gave his explanation, gesturing to the prone figure by his feet. Sergeant Kennedy looked at Jackie and she nodded her agreement. She filled in the events leading up to the shooting and handed him the note that was still laying on the counter. Her voice was flat, her face paler by the minute. Steven watched her explain the moment where she grabbed the bat and sent the man's head into orbit. He smiled to himself. _She's no wallflower. Guy must've set her off somehow._

Sergeant Kennedy listened and finally said, "This all seems pretty straight to me. You'll have to come downtown to give formal statements. Mr. Foreman, we'll need your gun for ballistics. I'll have my guys fingerprint and ID this man and hopefully we'll have this closed in a few days. Now I suggest you all clean up and get down to the hospital. I've got to go explain to the Captain why Officer Lance Crawford will be embarking on remedial training. I can't believe they let him graduate because his mother made them a peach cobbler!" He strode off into the night and everyone looked around at each other.

Amina let out a small gasp. "That man!" she said, pointing at the dead intruder, "I know him!"

Five sets of eyes snapped to Amina. "What?" spluttered Eric, "How? Who is he, Amina?"

"I don't know his name!" she cried, "He was at the hospital this morning, He was looking for Bob! He was so kind when I was trying to ask questions about the alcoholic center for Steven…" she trailed off. "I told him we had a neighbor named Bob. He described him so well, I thought they must be close. Eric, I am so sorry!" She looked horrified at her naïveté.

Eric put his arms around her and stroked her hair. "It's not your fault, honey. You couldn't have known."

Steven was still slumped on the floor. He wasn't sure if he could move from his current position even if he wanted to. He tugged on the hem of Jackie's flannel top. She sank down and looked at his face. His left eye was bruised badly, and his complexion had a noticeable yellow hue. She placed her hands on either side of his face and drew him into her. She rested his head on her shoulder and wrapped him in her arms. He lifted his arms and wrapped them as tightly as he could around her waist. He wanted to stay in this place forever.

"Jackie, are you hurt at all?" she heard Red ask.

She shook her head and remembered she was covered in blood. She moved to pull away from Steven, but he held her fast. "Steven, I need to change my shirt. I'll be right back."

He let her go and watched her walk through the kitchen door. He was sure he wouldn't resume breathing until she came back.

"Steven," said Red, warningly, "Don't push yourself right now. You aren't in any condition to make any sudden moves." The double meaning behind his words shining through clearly.

Jackie came back in, wearing a faded black T-shirt. She went straight to Fez and spoke quietly just to him for a few moments. He nodded and left the kitchen. She knelt down next to Steven again and said, "Come on, Steven. Let's get you back to bed. You need your rest." She put his arm around her neck and slipped her other arm around his waist. Squatting down low she steadied him as they rose up from the floor.

"Lije," Amina called to her, "what can I do to help?" She looked almost afraid of Jackie's response. Her guilt was overwhelming.

"Could you call Brooke and let her know to get Betsy and start driving?" Jackie said, in the kindest voice she could muster. She knew her sweet friend was feeling guilty, and she really didn't blame her for anything. This was an incredibly weird situation, but her concerns were for Steven and Michael, and right now those two were in a tight race for first.

"Right away," Amina whispered and as she passed Jackie grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a quick hug. "This was not your fault. I don't even know why anyone would want to hurt Bob!"

Amina gave her a small smile and hurried next door to call Brooke. Jackie tugged on Steven's belt loop with her left hand and they slowly walked back to the Foreman's house.

"I can make it, Jacks," Steven said, using her old nickname, "I'm not helpless. Just detoxing."

"I'm well aware of that Steven," she said, "but now would be the worst time for you to pick a fight with me." She didn't look at him when she said it, but he could hear the seriousness in her voice. There wouldn't be a romantic or friendly make-up tonight.

"Thanks, Jacks," he said, "for helping me." They had made it to Laurie's bedroom and she opened the door. They walked to the bed, him still supported by Jackie's tiny frame, and he crawled under the covers. Amina came in and let Jackie know she'd phoned Brooke.

"She will be here in a few hours. I will meet her at the hospital and bring Betsy back here," she told Jackie, "Is there anything else I can do?"

Jackie shook her head. She looked at the bag of medications that Kitty had left by Steven's bed. A small notepad on the bedside table had "Ativan 1mg 1:00, need IV Dose2". She wasn't sure what it meant, but if she had to take a guess it was what Kitty had given him this afternoon. She looked up at Amina, "Hey Amina, wait! Can you ask Kitty what this means when you go to the hospital? If Steven needs regular medication I don't want to miss doses."

Amina nodded and took the notepad from Jackie. She left, closing the door quietly behind her. Jackie smiled briefly at Hyde and motioned for him to get comfortable. She grabbed a blanket from the closet and curled up on the chair. They sat in silence for several long minutes.

"Jacks?" Steven said.

"Hmmm?" she answered in reply.

"You don't have to stay if you don't want to. I know this must be hard for you."

"No, Steven, it isn't. That's what makes it so dangerous."

"How so?"

She sighed and leaned forward, resting her forehead in her palms, "Because Steven, it's too easy for me to love you and want to help you. It's too easy for me to justify dropping out of school to come back here and help you through this. It's too easy for me to follow my heart and convince myself that as long as I love you, we will be okay."

She paused and lifted her head from her hands and looked him directly in the eyes. "When the truth of the matter is that in the long run, the only thing that will change is that I will be right back where I started a year and a half ago. I will be desperately trying to reach you while you pull away. So yes, Steven, if this were harder for me it would be better. I wouldn't feel nearly so tempted to follow my heart."

Steven tried to process her words, but the only ones that sunk in were "love" and "help". _She still loves me. I still have a chance._

"Jacks," he started, "I'm going to get clean, I swear. It'll be different this time…"

"You're damn right it will." In the doorway stood WB. He looked sternly at Hyde, then motioned for Jackie to come towards him. He pulled her into a tight hug and then held her at arm's length, surveying her critically. "You've lost weight, kiddo. Aren't you eating anymore?"

Jackie rolled her eyes and clutched the blanket around her shoulders. "I'm fine, WB, really. I'm just going to crash on the couch for a bit until Kitty calls." She walked out and WB fixed Steven with an icy stare.

"Quite the mess you've made here, son," he started off, "Sleep with a psycho, she burns down the one store I can't afford to rebuild, then you go on a 5 month bender and end up dragging half the town into a search and rescue party for you."

"WB, I am so sorry man," Hyde said, feeling terrible at the words his father hurled at him. "Believe me, I didn't ask for them to come."

"But you knew they would, son! You knew she'd drop everything that meant anything to her just for you. Now, all the rest I can forgive, but using your problems to lure her back so you can fulfill your own wants and needs?" WB shook his head sadly. "Son, you have got so much growing up to do I don't know if it's possible in the 60 or so years you have left on this earth."

WB walked over the empty chair and sat, pulling it closer to the bed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small photo from his wallet. WB and Angie were easily recognizable, the woman in the photo was dark-skinned and beautiful and unknown to him.

"My Louise," he said simply, "she was my whole world once upon a time. Jackie reminds me a lot of Louise. Feisty, smart as a whip, pretty driven too. The day she left this world I felt like my soul had gone with her. I didn't think I'd ever recover. Nearly didn't, if I'm being honest, but I found a reason to try harder and be better. I'm not gonna lie and tell you I didn't sink into this same booze-soaked barrel you've fallen into. I sure as hell did. I partied, drank, and slept with random women all over Wisconsin. I did it all to 'ease my broken heart', and that way of thinking helped me ruin a young woman's life."

"Angie seems fine to me," quipped Steven, "Maybe a little nerdy-"

"Not Angie," interrupted WB, clearly not in the mood for levity, "I'm talking about Edna. See, I was only concerned with my feelings, my well-being, easing my pain, forgetting my troubles. I didn't even care that there was a young lady, talented and pretty, who was trying to make a connection with me. I used her to my own ends and didn't think about her again. I won't take responsibility for all her mistakes, but Lord knows I certainly contributed my fair share."

"And _that_ ," he continued, "is exactly what I won't let you do to Jackie. Someday, if you get your act together, her strength is going to be enough to pull you up without pulling her down."

"How?" asked Steven.

"Beg your pardon?" replied WB.

"How do I get to that place, man?" he asked, defeat laced in his voice, "How do I start being good enough for her?"

"First, you fix this problem with the bottle. Then, and this is the hard part Steven, you are going to have to do what she's doing now."

"What," Steven spouted incredulously, "go to college? That's the key to fixing me?"

WB shook his head slowly, "No, Steven, don't think so literally. She's out there, testing her capabilities, doing something new, completely aware that she might fail and refusing to let it stop her from trying. She's finding her strength. You need to do the same. Then, I'm fairly certain you'll reach the same conclusion she has."

"What's that?" Steven asked warily.

"That you were always good enough for her, but instead of admitting that you weren't perfect, that maybe you needed her help or love; you chose to try and make her as insecure as you felt."

Jackie covered her mouth and leaned back against the wall outside Laurie's room. She didn't think she could take much more tonight. She wanted so badly to run into the room and tell him that she loved him, that she'd never leave him, that she'd… Her thoughts stopped dead at WB's words. He was right, so right. Steven wasn't in that place yet. He would get there, she hoped, but running to him now would only do more harm than good.

She needed to let him be his own man, before he could be hers.

Standing quietly, she crept back down the staircase to the couch in the living room. Trying to find another destination for her one-track mind, she latched on to the intruder in Bob's house. Why was he looking to kill Bob and Donna? Who was he? _HOLY SHIT! WHERE WAS RANDY?_

Jackie jumped up and ran next door. A patrolman by the back door stopped her as she tried to enter the house. "Hang on, Miss," he said calmly, "we're still processing the crime scene."

"But my friend," she said, though she hardly knew Randy, "I forgot he was in here! Do you know where they took him?"

"The guy with the gunshot wound?" the officer asked.

"No," she said, "there was a guy by the staircase. I think he was knocked out when we fell down."

The officer looked at her and said, uncomfortably, "Uh, Miss, they took him to the County Morgue. He had a hunting knife buried to the hilt in his ribcage…"

 _Fucking great. I killed Randy._ Jackie nodded at the officer and returned to the house. She had barely known him, and truthfully, she wasn't all that torn up about his absence now. It **was** tearing her up that, but for her actions, he might still be alive. He was someone's son, and he hadn't done a thing to hurt her- not that she knew of. She slipped beneath the blanket and shut her eyes. Tears burned her eyes and slid down her cheeks. She dearly hoped that this night would end soon, and end with happy news.

* * *

Point Place Hospital

Kitty had changed into a spare uniform from her locker and was waiting on Dr. Cloak to update her. Clutching the hot coffee in her hands, she glanced up at the clock. It was just past 3:00 in the morning. Amina had joined her just after midnight, filling her in on the aftermath of the police arrival.

Kitty had wanted to laugh at the peach cobbler remark, but laughter hadn't yet returned to her. She was overcome with worry for Michael. His family was so young, so new; he deserved a chance to see his babies grow up. Amina had also handed her the notepad and this reminded Kitty that she needed some supplies for home.

"Tina," she asked the nurse at the nearest station, "would you mind if I borrowed a few saline bags from the supply room? I need to set up an IV stand at home for one of the kids."

"No problem, Kitty," said Tina, "Help yourself. Let me know if you need any 'extras'."

Kitty smiled and headed towards the supply room. No medications were kept in here, just basic supplies. Saline bags, IV stands, bed pans and the like were stacked to the ceiling. She grabbed a canvas bag off the wall and loaded it with everything she'd need to treat Steven for a week. She was pretty sure she had enough benzo for Steven. If not, she'd have to ask one of the resident doctors for a refill. They trusted her enough to know she wouldn't ask if it wasn't necessary.

Back in the waiting room, Brooke had rushed in. Betsy was fast asleep on her shoulder, drooling in the exact same manner her father did. She spotted Amina and hurried over. "Amina! How is he? Where is he? Is he okay?"

Amina gently took Betsy from Brooke and rubbed her little back. "We haven't heard anything yet, Brooke. The doctors are still treating him. I think they said he would go to surgery right away."

Kitty had seen Brooke and dashed up to meet her. "Oh sweetheart," she said, pulling Brooke into a hug, "I am so sorry. A man snuck into Bob's house and attacked Jackie! He was going to shoot her, but Michael jumped in the way!"

Brooke sank into a chair and tried to breathe slowly and deeply. Willing the bile in her throat to stay down she asked, "How bad is it, Kitty? Don't dumb it down. Tell me everything."

Kitty nodded and sat next to her, "The bullet travelled through his right lung and liver before exiting. It missed his heart and his spinal cord. He lost a lot of blood, but we got him here pretty quick."

Brooke nodded and rested her head on Kitty's shoulder, "He has to be okay, Mrs. Foreman. He has to be."

Amina stood up and asked, "Brooke, should I take Betsy to the Foreman's now? I can stay with her, and update the rest of the family."

Brooke looked up at Amina gratefully, "Yes, please. Thank you Amina. Do you need my car? It has her carseat and all her things in it."

Amina nodded, "I think that would be best. Here are the keys for the Vista Cruiser, in case you need it."

"Oh, Amina, here are the supplies for Steven. If you hang on I can write down directions for the IV…" said Kitty.

"No need, Mrs. Foreman," she smiled briefly, "I know how already. I used to change my grandmother's all the time. One milligram every 6 hours, yes?"

Kitty was a little taken aback. They sure raised ladies differently in Yugoslavia! "Um, yes, I mean… give him one milligram if he starts to shake and one milligram at night, but not less than 6 hours apart. Does that make sense?"

"Perfectly," said Amina. She grasped Brooke's hand briefly and swung the bag of supplies onto her other shoulder. "Call us when Michael wakes up," she said, injecting what hope and optimism she could into the two ladies.

They waved to her and she strode out of the hospital, gently bouncing her heels to keep the child asleep. When she pulled into the driveway she saw Fez leaning on the hood of his car. He looked up at her car and ran to help her retrieve Betsy and the bags. Quickly and quietly they stole into Red's library and set up Betsy's playpen that Kitty kept for special visits. Fez had pilfered an extra set of blankets from Eric's room and he folded them up to make a soft nest for Betsy. Amina laid her down gently and they crept from the room.

Fez motioned towards the dining room and Amina followed. "Eric fell asleep a few hours ago. I don't want to wake him up," said Fez, "and Jackie is asleep on the couch. I wanted to wait for you before I went back to my apartment. How is he?"

"Michael is still in the surgery room," she said, "and Kitty said she wants to stay until they are finished."

Fez closed his eyes and brought his hands together in a gesture of prayer. He whispered words Amina didn't understand, and then opened his eyes again. "You should get some sleep, too, Amina. Thank you for helping save my best friend." He gave her a hug and then turned to leave, not caring one bit who might see him crying.

* * *

Dr. Cloak came out of the OR still sweating. It had been a rough night. The young man's wound had been especially difficult owing to the bullet's trajectory. Each time a bleed was cauterized a new one seemed to appear. It was like playing a perverse game of Whack-A-Mole.

Kitty, spotting her old boss, ran to meet him when he pushed open the doors to the waiting room. Brooke followed not half a step behind her and stopped just short of Dr. Cloak's nose. Stepping back she looked at him imploringly, "How is my hus- ? How is Michael?"

"Mr. Kelso made it through surgery," he said, "but the next 24 hours are absolutely critical for him. We'll keep him heavily sedated to give his body the best chance at healing. If he makes it through, I see no reason that he won't make a full recovery."

Brooke nearly fainted with relief. Gripping Kitty's shoulder, she clapped a hand over her mouth and stifled a sob. Kitty hugged Dr. Cloak and then Brooke. Her basement brood was all okay for now.

"Can I sit with him?" asked Brooke.

"I've had him placed in a private room in ICU. We'll have a cot moved in there for you in a few minutes," Dr. Cloak offered graciously. The old man was a softie when it came to the Kelso family. He'd been treating all of them for decades, and they never ceased to amaze him.

Brooke squeezed Kitty's hand and turned to collect her things. Tina the nurse was waiting to take her back to Michael's room.

Dr. Cloak turned to Kitty, "Now normally I'd guess that Michael shot himself on accident, being a Kelso, but the angle of entry and exit doesn't match. So what on earth happened?"

Kitty tried to explain it as best she could. She'd been so focused on Michael she really hadn't listened to the other conversations taking place.

"Huh!" Exclaimed the doctor, "If I didn't know better, I'd say someone put a hit out on Bob Pinciotti!" he chuckled and shook his head at the idea.

As he walked away, the wheels in Kitty's head began to creep forward. She filed the notion away for a later time, but she had started to wonder if Point Place held more secrets beneath its small town veneer than she ever realized.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I-94, on the road, back in time to July 5th

The drive to Minneapolis was full of memories, both bitter and sweet. She had passed through Madison early on, and her mind raced back to that last moment when she and Eric were still together, about to leave for college and a new life. She had been terrified to leave, unsure of her real abilities, and unsure, truthfully, of her love for Eric. Red's heart attack had given her a brief reprieve, but all too soon she was packing up and getting ready to start the journey alone. Standing by the bus, she'd had a self-serving epiphany that gave her a way out. She could stay! She could stay and tell Eric she would miss him too much! It was perfect. That way she was the noble, loyal fiancee who sacrificed for him; he'd owe her forever and she wouldn't have to face her doubts for a long time.

As the car made its way towards the Wisconsin Dells she wondered, for the thousandth time in the last two hours, what might have been if she'd just gone. Maybe she would have failed at Madison, maybe she would have succeeded without Eric there; the point was that she never tried so she would never know. It wasn't a mistake she intended to make again. Her dad had been so right, this was her chance to start over, to be better than who she'd become. _Eric, I know I won't get the chance to apologize for what I said, but I just want to say thanks. If I ever get the chance to make it right, I will._

Much of the drive after the Dells was given over to thoughts about her future. She knew she couldn't stay on the air as a DJ. If her father was right about the people who were after them, they'd find out in short order that she had worked at WFPP. She'd grown tired of the radio show anyway. It was nice at first, having control of the music that was played, and having fans eager for her voice and autograph. It had quickly proved to be utterly exhausting work, though. Entertainment was constantly evolving, and the industry was ruthlessly competitive even in a small town. No, she wanted something meaningful now. _Teaching? I really enjoyed classes in high school, maybe college? I can't go back to writing, authors have to do publicity. Maybe law school..._ Her thoughts continued in this vein for some time.

Crossing over the border into Minnesota, Donna began to wonder if she should stop for food. The drive was wearing on her, but her father's voice echoed in her head again, " _Don't stop. Keep driving. If you get hungry, pull into a drive-thru. Gas up in small towns and don't linger. Get to Ben, sweetie, as fast as you can."_ Spotting a Kelly's she pulled off the interstate and pulled up to order. Her stomach was rumbling, but she also felt an unsettling paranoia begin to sink in. She ordered two hot dogs, some fries and a large soda. Hopefully there would be better food in Minnesota...

* * *

July 5th

Fiorello LaGuardia Airport, Queens, NYC

Bob stepped off the Eastern Airlines flight and inhaled deeply through his nose. The smell of New York City was thick in his nostrils, and it smelled like home. He hadn't set foot in the city since 1963, on the day the verdicts were read. He'd missed it so much. Here was where he and Margaret had fallen in love, learned they would have a child (and also learned they were having a shotgun wedding). Clutching his travel bag he headed towards the exit and hailed a cab. He'd withdrawn about $5000 from his savings account for travel expenses, figuring he'd stay somewhere real nice until... Well, he'd never had the money to do the city up in style back then. He'd brought his credit cards too, since everyone seemed to want them nowadays.

A cab pulled up and the driver asked, "Where to?" without even glancing at him.

"The Plaza," Bob said, smiling broadly.

"Sure thing, man," said the gentleman. He was tall, probably close to 55 and African-American. "You sure are travelin' light. Sure ya didn't forget your bags?"

Bob chuckled, "Nah, this is a short visit. Figured I'd treat myself to a nice hotel and a good meal tonight. You know any fancy place I can get into tonight, sir?"

The cab driver smiled, "Name's Parler, Parler Edmonds," he waved from the front, "and if you want the best steak of your life you just give me a call. I'll give you a ride down to Sparks in Midtown. That place is a whole different world, mister!"

"Thanks a lot, Parler!" said Bob, "And my name's Frank, Frank Palermo. You got a card? I'll give you a call soon as I know what's what." He liked this cabbie, and he liked using his real name again.

Parler handed Frank a card with his name, cab number, and dispatch number on it. He told him to request him by cab number, since the dispatch girl could be a real pain if her night wasn't going well. He also mentioned a few new places to go, and one definite no-go. "Listen, Frank," he said seriously, "you been away from the city for a while?"

Frank nodded, "About 20 years, give or take."

Parler glanced in the rear view mirror, "Things changed a lot since the '60s. Nolita, Mulberry Street still pretty safe for men like yourself. Stay outta Queens and Williamsburg man. Williamsburg in a gang war right now, and mob guys been tearin' each other up in Brooklyn. You know some of them Gambino boys shot up the Shamrock Bar in April? Killed the guys who owned it 'cause they said someone spilled a drink on their girlfriend? That Gambino family is gettin' out of hand," he finished, shaking his head.

"Thanks for the tips, Parler," Frank said, his ears burning with anger at the murderous thugs, "I'll steer clear of those places." _Hate to lie to a nice man like you, Parler, but that's exactly where I need to go._

As they pulled up to the Plaza, Frank thanked Parler and promised to call by 8:00. Parler waved at him and drove off down the street. Staring up at the iconic hotel, Frank thought lovingly of Margaret- his sweet Maggie. _Maggie, I'm sorry I didn't get to bring you here like I promised. I'll see you soon, though._

At the front desk, the concierge happily took Frank's card and cash payment and set him up with a nice room overlooking Central Park. He took a long, hot soak in the clawfoot tub and relaxed by watching the game. He'd phoned Ben from Milwaukee to make sure Donna had made it there, and once Ben had confirmed it he'd hung up the phone. He didn't want to know details, or be tempted to join her. Leaving his baby girl alone in this world was hard, but he knew this was the only way she'd ever be safe. He pulled out the photo he'd taken with him and touched the little face forever preserved in black and white. Wiping his eyes a little, he sat up and called the taxi dispatch and asked for Parler's cab by number. He tried to put some extra honey in his voice so the lady would be more agreeable, but it wasn't necessary. A customer at the Plaza gets what they want.

"Hey there, Frank!" yelled Parler, waving to his new favorite client. Frank had slipped him an extra $20 for the airport ride, and that wasn't something he was used to.

Frank smiled at Parler and got in the taxi. He was excited for his fancy steak dinner. The concierge had made his reservations for him earlier, and he had a nice surprise in store. As they pulled up to Sparks Steakhouse, Frank leaned forward to Parler, "Listen, Parler, you got anywhere to be tonight?"

"Nah, think I'll stay here in Midtown until you need me. Might go grab a slice and the Daily," he said genially, "but don't worry, I won't be far!"

"Well, how's about you join me inside?" Bob offered. "Concierge said you can't reserve a table for one, and I didn't come all this way to eat at a bar! So whattaya say? My treat, and don't worry my company expenses the whole damn thing!"

Parler was taken aback. This was an incredibly generous offer. He'd probably never have the chance to eat at Sparks again. "That's a great offer, Frank!" he said, "You sure you don't want to call up some young lady, though?"

Frank grinned, "Nah, you take a broad to a steakhouse and she orders a salad. This place was meant to be enjoyed!"

Parler grinned back and swung the cab back into traffic, "I've been dying to use my parking pass for something good!" As he entered the parking garage, he thanked the good lord he'd picked up his Sunday best from the dry cleaners that morning. As he exited the cab, he took his good jacket out and pulled it over his polo shirt.

Walking into Sparks, the men waited patiently for the maitre d' to escort them to their table. The interior was sumptuously decorated in dark wood, with fine art lining the walls; rich carpet covered the floor and the tables were all pristinely laid. Once at the table, Frank asked Parler if he liked wine.

"I'm more of a beer man, myself," Parler said, "But when in Rome!"

Frank checked the wine list and ordered a bottle that he thought he could enjoy. When the waiter came back Frank asked him, "Sir, how long have you been at this establishment?"

"Since the restaurant opened, sir, 1966," the waiter replied proudly.

"Perfect, then you know the best of the best food on this menu, I'm bettin'" said Frank.

The waiter leaned in close, "The stand-alone steaks are the best, don't try to order the ones with fancy toppings. Avoid the hashbrowns, this ain't the South and they don't know how to do 'em. The lobster is primo, but order one to split, the smallest are 3 pounds, and the shrimp cocktail and tomato salad are the best appetizers." He stood back up straight and smiled. It always gave him a boost of confidence when customers trusted his advice.

"Parler, that sound good to you?"

"I can't imagine a better dinner!" said Parler enthusiastically.

The waiter nodded and left to coordinate the dinner. As Frank looked around he saw a few men enter who looked vaguely familiar. Not their faces, but their look, their demeanor, their dress- it rang a bell to him. Figuring it was just his imagination in overdrive he chatted with Parler off and on until the first course arrived. The waiter hadn't been wrong. The tomato salad was damn good and the shrimp cocktail was the best he'd ever had. As the first course was whisked away, Frank glanced around the small dining room again. The Vineyard had been the fanciest restaurant in Point Place and Sparks made it look like a school cafeteria. He'd forgotten how cosmopolitan Manhattan could be. The steaks arrived and both men looked like they'd been transported to Heaven. Perfectly cooked and seasoned, with just a touch of butter on the top. Before they could dig in, however, the waiter returned with the lobster and shelled it tableside for them. It was easily the best meal of his life, and the company was damn good. By the time the steaks were finished, Frank and Parler were both stuffed to the gills. The waiter tactfully suggested a coffee course and then a liquid dessert. Both men agreed and enjoyed their drinks immensely.

Frank glanced at the check when it arrived and stuffed twice the total into the check jacket without hesitating. Parler had tactfully looked away, pretending to admire the ornate ceiling. As they rose the waiter smiled and bowed them out, wishing them a pleasant evening.

"Frank, if I was a man on death row, I'd have requested that as my last meal and gone singing to my grave," he said happily, cuffing him on the shoulder.

Frank couldn't take offense to his friend's words; they were too true. He might not go singing, but that had been the finest meal of his life.

"So, where can I take you now?" asked Parler, hoping to convey his gratitude to Frank.

"I think I'm gonna turn in, Parler," he said, "I gotta get up early and finish this business trip!"

"Whatever you say, boss!" and he drove Frank back to the Plaza, reminding him to call when he needed a ride.

"Thanks for everything Parler," said Frank, "I hope you have a great rest of your year!" With that he paid the fare, against Parler's insistence, and surreptitiously dropped an envelope into the front seat. He'd written Parler a note of thanks and instructed him to retrieve a manila folder from the concierge in 2 days time and deliver it to a certain address, along with a considerable 'delivery fee' for his troubles. He hoped it made the old man smile for a long time to come.

Feeling a bit more light hearted, Frank made his way to his room and stretched out on the luxurious bed. He closed his eyes and focused on seeing Maggie again, picturing her just the way she looked on their wedding day.

* * *

July 6th

Brooklyn

"I swear, Boss, it was Frankie!" said Eddie, wide-eyed and slightly frightened. The last word they'd received was from the man in Malibu. He'd said he was finishing the job in 2 days. They'd assumed that meant he'd located all of them, but clearly he'd been mistaken.

"You're absolutely, 100%, no-fuckin'-doubt-about-it, sure that the guy you saw in Sparks was Frank Palermo?" the boss said.

"I wouldn't say it if I wasn't certain, Boss" Eddie replied. "Me, him, and Joe used to run together before... Well, anyway, I'd recognize him anywhere, even with that stupid Afro."

The Boss nearly choked on his breakfast. "Whattaya mean 'Afro'?" he said.

"He's got his hair all poofed out. Like a poodle" Eddie gestured.

The Boss rolled his eyes. If this was WitSec's idea of a disguise, he'd have no problem finding the rest of the snitches out there.

"Find him. Bring him here. And once we got him here, find Joe. I wanna know why he ain't here and Frankie is."

"You got it, Boss." Eddie replied and left quickly. Seeing Frankie at Sparks had been like seeing a ghost. He'd assumed he was hallucinating. The Boss had been crystal clear on his feelings about Frankie, and Joe had been all too eager to pay him back for snitching on him about the baker all those years ago. Joe had graduated to wet work after his release from prison, and he'd been good enough at it. Eddie preferred to do business, so he'd moved to handling the logistics of the port operations for the family. Still, he'd never forgotten the look on Joe's face the day Frankie testified against him. Joe had been lucky to get parole thanks to overcrowding, but he swore he'd have his revenge against Frankie all the same.

He called Joe's house and left a message with his sister for Joe to call him as soon as he got back. Looking down at his notepad, he read off the names he'd gotten from the waiter at Sparks- "Parler and Frank". He'd followed the two out and watched as they drove a cab away from a parking garage. He'd called the cab company and spoken to the dispatcher, selling her a story about a cab with the same number hitting a parked police car. The dispatcher had said that cab was off duty for several hours, with its only previous pickup at The Plaza. _Frankie's stayin' at The Plaza? Wonder if WitSec issues lotto tickets now..._

He was just getting ready to round up a few guys when one of the kids who stood lookout came sprinting in to his office. "Mr. Eddie! Mr. Eddie!" he said, gasping for breath, "That guy with the funny hair. I just saw him! He's over by the old Shamrock's Bar!".

 _Son of a..._ Frankie Palermo had come home to find them. Eddie decided to take care of this himself. Maybe it was good that Joe wasn't here; he was always to hot-headed when it came to Frank.

"Luca! Georgie!" he shouted into the outer office, "Get your shit and come with me. We got an old friend to greet."

* * *

Lucatelli's Italian Bakery

Brooklyn

Frankie walked by the bakery and stared in at the cases. It hadn't changed at all. Rows of Italian cookies, cannoli, tiramisu and more. He even saw an espresso machine on the back counter. He went in and let the heavenly aromas wash over him. He walked up to the counter and smiled at the girl, "What's the best thing you made today?" he asked.

The girl laughed, "Oh man, my uncle told me that was my grandpa's favorite question from his customers way back when!" Her ponytail swung around as she bent to inspect the confections. "Definitely the cannoli, the shells fried up perfect this morning. Strange, normally only my grandma can get them that perfect, but I guess it's your lucky day!"

"I'll take two and a cappuccino," he said. The girl grabbed a small plate and gestured to one of the small tables, "Have a seat anywhere you like, I'll bring it out to you when the cappuccino is ready!"

Frank took a seat and watched out the large front window pane. He'd made sure to get off the subway several stops back so he'd have to walk the whole street. If he was right, they'd be here by the time he finished his cannoli.

The girl brought the sweet, ricotta-filled pastries over and gently set down the foamy drink. "My name's Lucia if you need anything." As she walked away, Frank took a photo out of his pocket. _Courage, Frankie, courage to do the right thing for all of them._

"Your grandpa, Lucia, he used to own this place?" he asked.

"Yeah," the girl smiled a little sadly, "but he died before I was born. My uncle said he was a real decent man and the mob took offense to him. Guess that wasn't unusual back then, huh?"

"Nah," said Frank, "but I'm glad your uncle got to keep the bakery open."

"Well, for a little while," said Lucia, "but he died about ten years ago, too. Random shooting. My mom said this city's too violent. She'd leave tomorrow, except this is our whole livelihood. Plus, I love being in this shop. I love to bake. My grandma still does some of the stuff, too, and I think she's real attached to this store."

Frankie smiled warmly. He was gonna enjoy setting this family free from the boys. They deserved it. As he finished his cappuccino and swallowed the last bite of cannoli he saw a Buick pull up across the street. Three men got out of the car; one walked north, one walked south and the other crossed the street to head east. Frank stood up. "Well, Lucia, that was the best cannoli I've ever had. You take care and give my best to your grandma and mother." He waved and walked out into the bright sunshine.

Walking to the corner he headed east towards the warehouse district and turned south into a large alley. The sound of footsteps behind him let him know that one of the morons had picked him up. He kept walking, enjoying the feeling of the sun on his skin. Just as he was approaching the end of the alley and an intersection he saw the other two converge in front of him. _Finally. Thought I was going to have to send up a signal flare._

"Frankie Palermo," said the shortest, skinniest one. It was Eddie Lunelli. "Thought you was still on vacation?"

"Eddie," said Frankie evenly, "Sure been a long time."

"Sure has," replied Eddie, "You seen Joe around?"

"Nope," Frank gave a small smirk, "not since he took a trip upstate."

The taller man next to Eddie made a sudden movement, but Frankie didn't flinch. These guys weren't playing for the endgame, they just wanted to draw this out to feel tough. Frankie didn't intend to indulge them. "You gonna let _Il Creeper_ behind me know that he's in the line of fire? Or is he gonna be collateral damage?"

Eddie smirked back, "Vincenzo, you might wanna stand on this side, ya stupid fuck!" he yelled. The pudgy man with a buzz cut sulked out from behind Frankie and stood next to Eddie. "So, Frank, I guess you know why we're here."

"Yeah, Eddie, I ain't stupid. This ends today, right here, right now."

Eddie looked around warily. Most guys weren't this calm unless they had backup. Satisfied nobody was coming to help, Eddie continued, "The Boss wants to see you, Frankie. We're just here to drive you to the office."

Frankie shook his head and looked Eddie dead in the eyes, "Nah, Eddie," he said, "The butcher's bill gets paid here and now. See, I know how this works. I can keep trying to hide, keep changing my name, but chances are you'll find me again. I could go with you, but if I'm a betting man I'd say you guys are packin' more than enough for lil' old me, and why draw this out? You get me, drag my body back, tell the Boss I tried to escape; hell, tell him I cried and begged like a girl! Then you collect the prize and I get to rest in peace."

Eddie was stunned. "So I'm supposed to just take care of this right here?"

Frank nodded, "That's my offer, Eddie. You do this now, or I set off this flare gun," and he withdrew one from his belt, "and we all have a nice chat with whoever shows up."

Eddie paused to consider the logistics. They were fairly concealed from view, they could always stash the body and come back for it later, or dump it in one of the dumpsters and trust that the sanitation union would keep the workers quiet. He still felt like this was too good to be true, though.

"Tell me why you ratted out the family, Frankie," he said seriously, "The Boss is gonna want to know that."

"Eddie, I never kidded myself about who I was or who I worked for. I knew they weren't saints and schoolteachers. But I was a man of my word, and I expected a bunch of guys who worshipped the Old World to do the same. Turns out I was wrong. There was no honor in this family. Only greed and stupidity."

Frankie saw the red flush rise in their faces. He knew he'd goaded them past their tolerance. These idiots still thought they were better than the other families. All of them thought that- that their family still had the honor of the Old Men, but the rest were just sordid common criminals. He saw the pudgy one and the tall one reach behind their waists and he reached inside his pocket. His movement quickened theirs, but they weren't fast enough. Frank pulled the photo out of his pocket and focused on the faces in it. Then he closed his eyes.

Frank Palermo felt the warm sun on his face, smelled the sweet smell of frying pastry dough, listened to the church bell in the park nearby ring out a 10:00 bell. He smiled a beautiful smile and lived the best moment of his life; his last thought of Maggie and Antonia and he at Coney Island laughing and squeezing together for a photo.

Overhead, perched 20 feet up and observing the entire scene play out without a blink or a hiccup, the Brooklyn First Bank video recorder preserved the minutes for perpetuity. The evidence spooling to a cassette and perfectly capturing the last act of an always great man.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Parler Edmonds is based on a real-life person named Parler Edwards. He was a 71 year-old, African-American taxi cab driver in Buffalo, NY. During 1980, a serial killer named Joseph Christopher murdered Parler and 11 other black and Hispanic men in a months long serial rampage._

 _1981 was titled "A Most Violent Year" for NYC, and the Shamrock Bar shooting I mention actually happened. Sparks Steakhouse is also famous for its connection to the mafia. Williamsburg, now home to every hipster too broke to live in Soho, was a legit war zone back then with three different gangs (none mafia-related) violently warring with each other. Heroin and cocaine were flooding the market at cheap prices and crack cocaine was being developed in some major cities. The early 1980s were also the rise of John Gotti from capo to Boss of the Gambino crime family._


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Minneapolis, July 5th (because of Donna, of course)

Donna had practically red-lined the El Dorado the entire rest of her journey after her panic at the drive-thru. She managed to get to downtown Minneapolis easily enough, but finding her way through downtown to the address her father had given her… that was a whole different ballgame. Numbered streets frequently crossed each other with Avenue versus Street being the only difference. Twice she nearly ended up back on the interstate, only to veer right just in time. Finally, exhausted and frustrated, she pulled to the side of Washington Avenue and pulled her map from the glovebox.

After a few quick checks she plotted a course to 4th Street and made a mental note to look for number 300. Turning left on Hennepin Avenue and then left on 4th Street she began to creep through downtown. Her father hadn't said what building to look for and when #300 came into view she was shocked. He'd sent her to the Department of Justice branch in Minneapolis. Ben McCormack hadn't been taking any chances with her safety, so he'd given Frank the address to his office. Hopefully, the security around the building would be enough to deter anyone if she'd been followed.

Donna parked the car on the street and hesitated. Should she bring her suitcases inside? It seemed like a bit of a giveaway if she walked across a courtyard into a federal building carrying suitcases. She decided against it and locked the car. Looking quickly around she lowered her head and dashed across the street. Making a beeline for the front entry she slowed only when the guard at the front desk waved to her.

"Hi, I'm here to see Ben McCormack. My name's-" she began.

"Antonia," said a kind, low voice from near the elevators. Ben McCormack walked towards her, extending both arms. "It's good to see you, kid. Don't suppose you remember me at all, do you?" he asked, holding her at arm's length.

Donna shook her head, "I'm sorry, the only thing I apparently remember is my Uncle Carmine in Hoboken."

Ben chuckled, then nodded to the desk guard, "One of mine, Andrew. I'll escort her up. She's a no-sign." Andrew nodded and went back to his work, while Ben steered Donna to the elevators.

"Carmine Santini was one of the only reasons we were able to operate WitSec for mafia witnesses back then. Before he came onboard the mob could find our guys before the trials even got started! You were a definite favorite of his. He would watch you play for hours in the backyard at that big old house. When your family was getting ready to leave he made a promise to Frank. He said, " _Frank, I want you to know that if anything should ever happen to you or Margaret, I'll keep watch over the princess."_ I'd never heard him say anything like that before, and never did after that. He's getting on in years now, but I know he'll be glad to hear you're okay."

"Marshal McCormack," Donna said as they exited the elevators, "my father, will he be meeting me at my new location, or will I be going to him after a certain time has passed? I only ask because being alone doesn't seem so scary if I know there's an end to it."

Ben clenched his fist at his side. _Of course you didn't tell her, Frank._ "Um, well, first off please call me Ben. If you ever have need of me through law enforcement channels, then you can refer to me as Marshal McCormack," he said, "Second, what exactly did your dad tell you about his… our plan?"

"Only that he and I were going to be apart for a while, and that I should try to build a new life wherever I'm going," she said, "But if I'm going to meet him in a year, then I don't want to start anything too involved, like school."

They reached Ben's office and he ushered her into a chair. "Antonia, you won't be seeing your dad for a very long time I hope," he said, hoping to couch this as gently as possible.

"WHAT?!" she exploded, "He promised it would seem like no time had even passed! How can you do this? You can't keep me from my only family!"

Ben looked at her and said solemnly, "Your father didn't tell you the whole truth about this plan, Nia. He knew when I called him about Margaret that the game was up. He understood what had to happen to keep you safe. The hit put out on your father wasn't because he had any new or more information on the Gambino Family, it was revenge. The only way a revenge contract is ever fulfilled is to pay the bill. Your father has done that, so that you could be free."

Donna shook her head, confused and agitated at the double-speak. "In English, for those of us who don't speak Mob?" she asked.

Ben breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. He had never before wanted so badly to be anybody else. "Nia, your father returned to New York to settle this with the Family. They want him dead, that's the only way this ends; so that's what will or might have already happened."

Donna's ears were filling with a high-pitched frequency that was growing louder. She blinked, trying to bring the Marshal back into focus. Finally, slapping herself on the cheek, she stared at Ben, "My dad, the only person I have left in this whole world, went on a suicide mission to 'keep me safe'."

Her voice was so flat, so empty that Ben was worried she was in shock. "Yes, and believe me I tried to talk him out of it. This was his choice, though, and I can't force him to stay in the program."

"I want to go to New York," she said, standing up, "Get me on a plane to New York, right now."

"No," Ben said, rising to his feet as well, endeavoring to remain calm.

"Fine, I'll drive," she shrugged and made for the door.

Ben blocked her path and held both hands up to her, "Nia, I made a promise to your dad that I would keep you safe and get you started in a new life."

"I DON'T WANT A NEW LIFE!" she screamed, trying to shove him out of the way, "I WANT MY FATHER! GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

Ben wrapped both his arms around her in a bear hug and sank to the floor with her, determined to keep this last promise. "Nia, you need to listen to me," he said, "This was your dad's last wish- that you get the chance to move on and become everything he knew you could be. He'd spent the last year worried sick that your position in life was because he'd been a bad parent."

Donna stopped struggling, "What does that mean?" she asked, "My 'position'? Does he… Did he think I was a… a… failure?" Her voice was heavy with emotion, the pain of orphanhood mingling terribly with guilt.

Ben took a deep breath, "Nia, I can't honestly say he thought you were a failure. More like he saw you getting too comfortable with just getting by. He said a few times that he felt like you were more invested in how you were seen than in who you really were. He never wanted that for you- mediocrity disguised by attention."

Donna was sobbing quietly, her head bent down so that it was resting on Ben's shoulder. Her heart was breaking and there didn't seem to be anything she could do to stop it. She had never imagined that her dad could be disappointed in her, but the truth was that she hadn't really stopped to consider it at all. Now, she'd never be able to prove his doubts wrong to him.

Ben hugged Donna to him and let her cry. He was thinking about his promise to Frank, how much he wanted to honor it, and deep down he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to deliver. How does a kid who lost both her parents in 24 hours pick up those pieces and glue together a successful life?

"Nia, let's take this one step at a time, okay?" Ben said, patting her on the back. She nodded her head and her shoulders shuddered as she took a deep breath to calm herself. Picking himself up off the floor, Ben extended a hand to Donna and led her back to the chair. He sat himself in the chair next to her this time and pulled a small folder towards him. "Why don't we start with a new name?" he said, smiling.

"Okay," Donna said, smiling weakly and nodding, "but can I keep my original middle name? I want to take some small part of who they wanted me to be with me."

"I think that'll be fine, kiddo," he said, "Now, have you thought of any that appeal to you?"

"I like Hannah, and Allison," she said softly, "My dad always loved the name Clara, he used to say he'd love a granddaughter named Clara…" She trailed off and bit her lip, trying not to dissolve into a puddle of tears again.

"Alright, tell me which one hits your ear better- Hannah Lucia or Clara Lucia?" he ventured, "Try introducing yourself to me with each and see if either feels right."

Donna turned to him and held out her hand, "Hi, my name's Hannah Lucia." She made a face as soon as it was out of her mouth. "Nope, that felt wrong. Hi, my name's Clara Lucia," she tried, "Hi, I'm Clara. Nope, that's close but not quite it."

"How about Ava?" Ben suggested, "Ava Lucia sounds very professional."

Donna tried it and nodded her head. "Yes, that's the one," she said, "Ava Lucia… what's my new last name?"

Ben checked the folder and said, "Parks. You are now Miss Ava Lucia Parks of Seattle, Washington."

"Seattle?" Donna said, "Why Seattle?"

"A few reasons," Ben replied, "Namely, the mob presence in Seattle is fairly contained. Only one family, the Colaruccios and they aren't friendly with the Gambinos. Informants have said they met with the Bonnanos once, but nothing came of it. They're interested in running their "business" and it's got zero incentive for the East Coast families. Secondly, there are a few universities you can pick from. Your dad made a lot of money from his patent on the 'Weeper Keeper' and if he invested it wisely then that money could pay for a small apartment and tuition. If college isn't what you want, Seattle has enough diverse industry you can pick from."

"Okay," Donna said, "So when do I leave?"

"We need to get the identity and background documents sorted. The office knows it's a rush job, but it might take up to two weeks to get everything together. Until then, you stay here in Minneapolis. We have a safe house in Uptown for you. I'll be there at night after my day here is finished. During the day one of our other marshals will be with you at all times. I'll escort you to Seattle and hand you off to our resident marshal there. I'll call each week at a prearranged time to check in, but the resident marshal will be your main point of contact. He'll know the lay of the land and what to look for much better than I would."

"I guess I should get used to being called Ava, then," she said.

Ben nodded, "I'm going to start calling you by that name only from here on out. Now, then only things left are for you to pick a few apartments to look at and decide what you want to do once you get there. You've got at most a few weeks, so make sure you don't leave it until the last second. I've got a few Seattle papers from last week when another Witness was headed there. The listings may still be accurate, but I'll try to remember to order some for this week as well."

"I'll try," Ava said, "Ben, where do I go tonight?"

"We have a crash room down the hall. I put sheets on this morning, and there's a full shower and locker room one floor up. The building won't open to the general employees until 9 A.M. so you don't have to worry about being seen. I'm going to stay here tonight on my couch, so don't worry about being alone either."

Ava breathed a small sigh of relief. The thought of being in a large office building by herself all night was terrifying. She remembered she left all her luggage in the Cadillac, "Um, Ben? Just one more thing," she said, "I left all my luggage and things in the car. Can we go get them?"

Ben held out his hand, "Give me the keys. Where did you park?"

"Just across the street."

Hoping to any god above that MPD hadn't been too eager to summon a tow truck, he sprinted downstairs and saw the car receiving a citation from an MPD officer. Jogging out from the building he hailed the officer and accepted the ticket without complaint. He'd just shred it when the car went to auction anyway. Putting the key into the ignition he held his breath. _Please don't let this car explode. I really don't want to die in a powder blue El Dorado._

The car started and he drove it into the underground garage. Hefting the two suitcases out he slung the travel case over his shoulder and walked to the elevator. Punching the button for his floor he thought about the list of things he needed to get done in the next two weeks. He exited and walked toward his office. The door was still partially open and Ava was standing beside the large window, looking out onto the city.

Ben was transfixed at the sight as well. Her long red hair was backlit by the floor lamp near his desk. Her nose and cheeks were still slightly pink from crying, but her arms were curved gracefully around her waist. He thought he might have stayed there forever if he hadn't remembered that he was nearly 20 years older than she was. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he set her things down and cleared his throat. "Ava… Here are your things. If you need anything I'm right down the hall tonight, okay?"

Ava turned around, marveling at how easy it was to adjust to a new name. "Thanks, Ben," she said softly, picking up her luggage. He noted that her height was a welcome change. At 6'3" he normally towered over the other women he met. Ava reached just under his chin as she stood in front of him.

"Goodnight, Ava" he said.

"Goodnight, Ben"

* * *

July 6th

Brooklyn, NYC

Eddie Lunelli, Georgie Vanzano and Vincenzo Lusconi were unaware that they were starring in a movie as they dragged Frankie Palermo's body behind a stack of empty dough trays. Eddie tagged Georgie in the arm, "Go get the camera from the car. Gotta have proof for the Boss. Let him decide what we do from here."

Georgie nodded and ran towards the car. Eddie pointed to Vincenzo, "You get your ass in that bakery and make sure nobody comes back here. We'll be back in an hour, tops." Vincenzo nodded as well and made off for the bakery store front.

Eddie waited for the camera and pondered the events of the last ten minutes. He didn't have any problems taking the credit for Frank's demise, but where the hell was Joe? This had been his job, and even if it ended with Frank dead, the Boss was gonna be pissed that Joe had messed up. _Hope you got a damn good reason for this fuck-up, Joe._

Georgie came back with a Polaroid and Eddie took several photos. He gathered them all and motioned for Georgie to follow him. "Let's get back to the boss. I want this wrapped up before lunch."

Back at the 'office', Georgie waited outside while Eddie went in to give the Boss the good and bad news. At first, everything seemed fine. He could make out Eddie's nasally tone and cadence, punctuated by occasional interruptions from the Boss. Then, it all seemed to go sideways. He heard an angry shout followed by the sound of a fist slamming into a table and something heavy being thrown at a wall.

Eddie came running out of the office and grabbed Georgie by the collar, "Boss ain't okay with evidence lying around. He said to get to the body and get it gone or we can start runnin' like Frankie."

Unfortunately, Eddie had tasked the wrong guy as lookout. Vincenzo was too preoccupied by the pretty bakery girl and the tasty pastries to do a thorough check of the building. Lucia's mother, Gloria, was watching the wise-guy chat her daughter up. _Dumbass guido. My girl's too smart for your lame smooth-talk. I taught her about you assholes years ago._ She shook her head and laughed quietly as the fat man kept trying to start a flirtation with Lucia. She picked up the garbage bag lying by the prep counter and pushed open the back door. Turning to the dumpster she nearly screamed as she saw a man laying propped against her empty dough racks.

Stifling the noise with her hand she recognized him as the nice man from this morning. He'd been polite and respectful, and something about him had seemed so familiar. He was lying there quite peacefully now, a photo clutched in his right hand. Reaching down she took it and saw a much younger version of the man along with a sweet little girl and a beautiful woman. _Sweet Blessed Virgin! I do know this man!_ Her father had known him. He'd said he was a made man, but a decent one. He'd tried to keep her brother on a payment schedule, but her moron sibling had run off when he'd gambled away a payment. Her father had died while that idiot hid.

She dropped the garbage and ran down the alley to the bank. They had a security guard and an alarm that would call the police immediately. Bursting through the front doors she screamed, "Help! A man's been murdered in the street! Call the police!"

The young bank teller behind the counter instinctively hit the panic button under her counter and the guard ran to his phone to dial the NYPD. Gloria ran back out the door as the guard handed the phone to the bank manager and followed her outside. She pointed down the alley, "There, by the dumpster and the dough racks," she said.

"Ma'am, I can't go down there," he said, shaking his head, "I'll get fired. But I'll wait here with you until the police come. You watch the street and I'll watch the alley."

The sounds of sirens coming down the street minutes later snapped Vincenzo out of his fantasy about the bakery girl. He brushed the powdered sugar off his shirt front and walked to the window. Police cars were streaming down the street and turning onto the side street bordering the alley where… _Fuck!_

He raced out the door and jogged to the corner. Trying to watch nonchalantly by the crosswalk, he saw three police cars block off the entrance to the alley. The officers jumped out of their cars, two running to the bank and one to the alley. Praying this was a bank robbery call, he ambled down the street a little closer until he heard a shout from the cop in the alley. _DAMN! They found Frankie._

He turned around just in time to see Eddie's car drive past the intersection. He held his arm out like he was hailing a cab and jogged towards the car. He jumped into the backseat and motioned for Eddie to drive away.

"What the fuck happened?" yelled Eddie from the front seat.

"I don't know! I was keeping the bakery worker up front and the next thing I heard was sirens!" Vincenzo spluttered.

Georgie rolled his eyes and cracked his knuckles. His cousin was an absolute moron. He probably got distracted by donuts and let someone slip out the back. Eddie seemed to have the same idea. "Look, anyone got any ideas? 'Cause this is the kind of shit that the Boss don't take lightly."

Georgie thought for a few seconds. "We can't do nothin until we know what the cops know. If all they got is a dead body, and no witnesses, we ain't gotta say or do nothin', right?"

Eddie felt like he was trying to teach rocket science to toddlers. He sighed, "Sure, Georgie, and when Frank's picture ends up on the news tonight we just tell the Boss we let the cops dispose of him for us? USE YOUR FUCKIN HEADS, MORONS!"

Vincenzo cleared his throat and spoke up, "Maybe we go back and tell the Boss that we staged it that way on purpose? 'Cause you know it looks like those gang hits in Williamsburg. I mean, everyone knows we don't leave bodies lyin around. But a daylight shooting in an alley and the body left out? That's what them savages down there do to each other."

Eddie thought about it. This might be the only way out of this for them. He looked at Vincenzo in the rear view mirror, "Alright, Vinnie, we go with your story. If this goes tits-up on us, though, you are takin the fall. Your fat ass was supposed to be watching the body."

All three men pondered the way the next few hours could play out. If the Boss bought their story, at worst they'd just look stupid, at best they'd be congratulated for pinning a murder on some black and Hispanic gang members.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

July 7th

Point Place Hospital

Brooke stared at Michael's sleeping form. Her hands were gently folded on top of his, her arms folded under her head as she laid it down to watch him sleep. She kept up a steady whispered stream of pleas and assurances, "Please be okay, baby. I promise we'll spend more time at the lake. Keep fighting, sweetheart. I'm not leaving until you wake up."

Around 8 in the morning she'd woken to find Kitty sitting in the chair next to her, a cup of coffee in her hand and a tall glass of orange juice on the bedside table next to Michael. "I got you some juice, sweetie," she said, "I don't want your blood sugar to fall and you to faint right before he wakes up." She patted Brooke's arm and motioned for her to take the glass. "You go ahead, dear. I'll watch him while you drink that, and there's breakfast on the other table if you're hungry."

Brooke got up slowly and made her way to the juice and breakfast. She remembered her appetite going into overdrive with Betsy when she found out she was pregnant. She wondered if her lack of appetite was more from Michael's situation or if that meant she was having a boy. She smiled a little as she sipped the juice and took a few bites of toast. As she sat back down, Kitty turned to her and smiled that warm motherly smile, "Dear, I just want you to know that I am so proud of both of you. You do make this mother so very happy to see one of her boys in such a good place in his life with such a good woman by his side."

Brooke nodded back with tears in her eyes. "I'm so glad you're my family, too, Mrs. Foreman," Brooke said in reply, hoping to convey her deep gratitude to her surrogate mother-in-law. The two women lapsed into thoughtful silence and then Brooke said, "Mrs. Foreman, would you eat breakfast with me outside? I'd like to get some sun, and the doctor said Michael would still be sedated for awhile."

Kitty looked delighted. "That sounds lovely, dear. I'll grab the tray!" she said happily. They quietly exited the room and headed for the courtyard to finish breakfast.

Deep within a darkness he couldn't define, Michael heard the echo of two familiar voices. His heart surged with fondness at the sound of one, while the other made him yearn powerfully for the light. The second voice was so beautiful, like music made tangible. _Brooke. My Brooke._

The darkness began to lighten a bit. He held onto that feeling. He wasn't done yet. He just needed to hang on.

* * *

July 7th

Moonlight Cab Company, Brooklyn

"Hey Parler!" yelled a shrill, demanding voice. "Parler! Get your ass over here!"

Parler sighed and shuffled over to the dispatcher's cage. He'd just come off a limo side gig and was exhausted. He'd been hoping to grab a nap before the rush started this morning. "What's the problem, Angelica?"

"You forgot to clean the car out after your shift yesterday," she said contemptuously, tossing an envelope and a newspaper at him.

Parler eyed the envelope. It had his name on it, but he didn't remember picking it up on having it on him. Frank must have dropped it in his cab when he wasn't looking! He turned to walk back to the table, and slit the envelope open with this keys. Peering inside, he saw a note and a bundle of bills. He slid the note out first and read it:

 _Dear Parler,_

 _Thanks for everything you've done for me. I know this may seem odd, but I have one last favor to ask. I have a room at the Plaza, and the concierge is holding a manila folder for me. Actually, he's holding it until you show up. I need you to take the folder and deliver it to 26 Federal Plaza. Give it to Agent Miller, Organized Crime. Don't hand it over to anybody else. I've included a delivery fee for your troubles. You are a good man, Parler. I hope life treats you as one._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Frank Palermo_

Parler slid the money out of the envelope and started to count it. His hands were shaking as he counted past $3000. He stuffed the bills back in the envelope and into his jacket pocket. Turning, he called to the bitchy dispatcher, "Angelica, I'm taking the car out to do a circle."

She started to yell back at him, but he'd already disappeared. She made a mental note to send him to Times Square later just to make his life extra miserable.

Parler drove straight to the Plaza and went inside to retrieve the manila envelope. The concierge handed it over and asked if Parler would mind dropping off a guest at JFK. Parler hesitated, but agreed as the concierge looked at him pleadingly. He knew why a moment later when a large elderly woman exited the lobby holding a rat-sized dog, followed by two bellboys toting all her considerable luggage.

The woman was clearly unimpressed with Parler's cab, and threw a minor fit at first, demanding a more dignified transport. The concierge finally explained that no private car services were available at short notice and that she would most definitely miss her flight if she delayed longer. Huffing and issuing veiled threats under her breath, she sat in the cab and complained the entire way from Manhattan to JFK Airport. At the departure terminal, Parler took out a twenty dollar bill and slipped it to the skycab. He looked down to make sure he still had the envelope and ushered the elderly woman out of the cab. She had barely cleared his front bumper when he accelerated away, causing her to spin wildly and fall to the ground, nearly crushing the small dog in the process.

Parler turned onto Van Wyck Expressway and floored the gas. He darted between cars, trying to cut down the time between Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. Finally, crossing the Williamsburg Bridge he started looking for parking spaces. He knew he'd need a few minutes for this job.

He finally found one and parked the cab. Locking the doors, he strode into the building at 26 Federal Plaza. He always felt a little uneasy around law enforcement officers. Now, he was surrounded by them. He was in the middle of the FBI's NY Office in Manhattan. Quickly, he walked to the receptionist area.

"Excuse me sir, but I have a delivery for Agent Miller, Organized Crime," he said to the young man at the desk.

The man didn't look up. He held up a hand and in a bored voice he said, "Leave it here, I'll see he gets it."

Parler looked at the man and lowered his voice but not his tone, "Young man, I have been to war. Now I want you to look at me when I talk to you and understand that I am not some piss-ant delivery boy."

The receptionist looked startled but looked up at Parler. "Very good," he said, "Now I was given very strict instructions that only Agent Miller was to receive this information. So if you will call him, I'll wait in that chair," he pointed at a leather chair by the front door, "until he comes down." With that, Parler turned and walked to the chair and sat down. He stared at the receptionist until the man dialed what he assumed was Agent Miller's extension.

Five minutes later a tall man with gray hair and cold blue eyes stepped off the elevator and headed to the reception desk. Parler could hear him yelling at the kid from his perch by the door. He shook his head and wondered what station it was that men got to in life where they forgot how to treat others. The receptionist pointed at Parler, who stood and walked towards Agent Miller.

"Who the hell are you?" Agent Miller said by way of greeting.

"Parler Edmonds, Agent Miller," he said, holding out his hand, "Frank Palermo asked me to deliver this to you and only you." He held out the manila envelope and Agent Miller took it immediately.

"Hang on, Mr. Edmonds!" shouted Agent Miller, as Parler made to walk out of the building. He stopped and waited for Miller to catch up to him. He wasn't going to allow the man to beckon him like a child.

Miller sighed and jogged over to where Parler stood. "Sir, how did you come to know Frank Palermo? He's, well, he's been… gone for nearly twenty years!"

Parler shrugged, "Well, that was the name he gave me. Italian gentleman, seemed to know Brooklyn pretty well. Left me instructions to get this to you and that's all I know."

Miller eyed Parler suspiciously, "And I suppose you don't know what's in this envelope either?" he said warily.

"No sir, I do not," replied Parler evenly, "I don't open other people's mail." With that, he turned and walked out of the building. He made his way back to his cab, thinking all the while about what he could do with the delivery fee he'd just made. It was just enough to pay off the last of his mortgage on his apartment, with a little left over for savings. He could give up his second job now, too. The thought of extra sleep and a relief from the grind made his shoulders feel lighter. Frank had done him a solid turn, now he hoped that Agent Miller did one for Frank.

Meanwhile, Agent Miller shook out a few pages from the envelope. One was a letter detailing who Frank Palermo was, his contact in WitSec, and instructions for locating his last will and testament. The second was a short note addressed to Miller:

 _Agent Miller,_

 _Go to Brooklyn First Bank and ask for the back entrance video records for July 6_ _th_ _. They should prove very useful against the G family and may give you the leverage you need. I am addressing this to you at the advice of retired Agent Maddox, who handled my original case._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Frank Palermo_

Miller looked at the rest of the documents: a paper clipping from a trial in 1963 for Joseph Abruzzi; a photo of Frank Palermo from 1978 wearing what looked like an Afro wig; and directions to Brooklyn First Bank.

Miller strode to the desk and dialed up his contact at NYPD, waving away the protests from the receptionist.

"Detective Andrews, NYPD," said a man on the other end.

"Bill, this is Mike Miller at the FBI. Listen, I got a strange request today that I get some videotape of yesterday from Brooklyn First Bank for one of my cases. You know about anything that went down there?" he asked.

"Damn, Mike, figured you'd know before I did! They found a guy shot to death in the alley behind the bank," he said surprised, "We were thinking it was a gang shooting initially, but something felt off about it. You think it was a mob hit?"

"Not sure, Bill," he said, "Did you guys already grab the tapes?"

"Yep, they're being analyzed right now at the 83rd. You want us to send you the details?" he offered.

"Nah, I'll head there myself. If this was a mob hit caught on tape, it could mean the end of a long investigation for me!" he said quickly.

He hung up and ran back to his office. Stopping to grab the keys to an official vehicle he started driving to Bedford-Stuyvesant at top speed. His mind was racing as he flashed his badge at the desk attendant and walked to the Captain's office. He knocked on the door and heard a voice tell him to enter.

"Captain, sir," he began, before being cut off.

"No need, Agent Miller. Bill Andrews already called. He said you might know who the men are in the tapes?" said the Captain.

"I'd love to take a look, Captain," he said quickly.

The Captain beckoned him to follow and they went to a small room where an officer was rewinding the tape to make an additional copy for evidence. Mike Miller stared as the videotape was restarted as Frank Palermo came into view from the north side of the alley. Mike watched as three men converged on him. They appeared to have a brief conversation. Frank reached into his pocket and withdrew what looked like a photo before all three men shot him from no more than 6 feet away. Mike leaned in close, grinning like the cat who ate the canary.

"Well, Agent Miller?" said the Captain.

"Captain, understand that I'm happy to identify these men for you. You feel free to arrest them and have them arraigned. All I ask is that I can use this evidence to question them about their involvement with the Gambinos," he replied smoothly.

"I think we can arrange something," said the Captain, holding out his hand to shake Miller's.

"Thank you, sir," he said, "From the left that's Vincenzo Lusconi, Eddie Lunelli and Georgie Vanzano. They all live in Nolita and they're all made men."

The Captain's eyes widened as Miller left the room. _I've got you now you slippery bastards. Big Paul is going down._

* * *

July 7th

The Foreman house

Steven woke up confused and disoriented. He had an IV in his arm, and he didn't know the pretty girl sitting next to his bed. She looked up from her book and smiled at him gently, "Hello, Steven. My name is Amina. I'm Lije…err.. Jackie's friend," she said in accented English.

"Where's Jackie?" he asked, his voice raspy and throat dry.

"She is still asleep," Amina said quietly, "She was so very upset to learn about Randy."

"Why? I thought Kelso was the one who was hurt?" he asked, feeling more confused by the second.

"Yes, Michael is still in the hospital, and she is very worried about him," Amina explained, "But, Randy was in the house with Jackie when the man broke in. When Jackie tackled them both-"

"Hold up," Hyde interrupted, "Jackie tried to attack a guy with a knife and a gun? Am I in the Twilight Zone?"

"I am sorry, Steven," she said, "I do not know this name- Twilight Zone. But yes, she did. They all fell together and Randy was stabbed during the fall. He died before the police even came. She is very upset that she thinks she caused this" Amina finished looking very sad for her best friend.

Hyde tried to process the information. Bits of the story from last night floated back to him. Kelso had been shot; Jackie had helped him back to the house, she'd said she still loved him… At this memory he cleared his throat, "Amina," he asked, "When Jackie wakes up, will you ask her to come see me? I need to tell her something."

Amina looked at him with piercing eyes. He wished like hell he still had his glasses. "Lije has a great heart," she said pointing to her own chest, "She loves with everything she is. I know she would give up everything she has worked for to make you better again. I will only tell her if you promise me that you will not use this to ruin her again." Her eyes were fierce now, and Hyde was beginning to wonder if it was only small-framed women who were capable of scaring him.

"I promise, Amina," he said, "I'm not going to try and make her stay."

Amina held out her hand, "Shake on it," she said, "And remember that it is unwise to break a promise to a Bosnian woman. We perfected the art of revenge."

Hyde held out his hand and shook hers. She was just at the door when Hyde asked her one more thing, "Why do you call her that? Lije?"

Amina paused and put her hand on the doorframe. "Lijep means 'beautiful' in Bosnian. She reminds me of my sister. Both of them so beautiful and kind." Hyde felt the air around him change. It was the first time he realized that there were other people who loved his doll as much as he did. _They're trying to protect her from me._

Amina walked downstairs and saw Jackie standing at the kitchen counter. Her hands were clutching a mug of coffee while she stared off into the distance.

"Lije?" Amina said gently, "Are you alright?"

Jackie turned slowly towards the sound of Amina's voice, her eyes still a little unfocused. "Hmmm?" she said, "Sorry, Amina. I wasn't paying attention."

"Lije," she said hesitantly, "Your Steven is awake. He wanted to talk to you, but I can tell him you are still asleep," she finished quickly.

"No," Jackie smiled at her friend's protective nature, "I'm fine, Amina, really. Just thinking about Randy and Donna and Michael and Bob. I'm sure it's nothing, really." She strode past Amina towards the stairs, barely noticing that her hair had fallen out of its ponytail.

She knocked on the door and poked her head inside. "Steven?" she said, "You wanted to talk to me?"

Hyde looked up and his heart caught in his throat. She looked so beautiful in the morning light. So beautiful and so tired. He just wanted to hold her so badly. Instead he nodded and gestured for her to come closer.

She walked into the room and took a seat next to the bed. "What's up?" she asked.

"Jackie, are you okay?" he asked, "You look like you haven't slept at all."

"I'll be fine, Steven," she replied, "What's on your mind?"

"Don't be stubborn with me, Jackie," he said, "I can tell when you're barely hanging on."

It was like he couldn't resist poking the bear. "Really?" she said, eyes wide in mock sarcasm, "You're perceptive enough to ascertain that I'm 'barely hanging on' after an attempted murder? I sure wish your keen powers were working two years ago! _Jackass_." She muttered the last word and rolled her eyes.

Hyde wanted to smile, but the hurt behind the burn was too real. He reached out and grabbed her hand. She didn't pull it away, but she didn't look at him either.

"Jacks," he started, "I'm so sorry my shit dragged you here. You have a great life in Chicago. I don't want to screw that up for you."

Jackie looked up at him and squeezed his hand, "Oh, Steven," she said, "I'm a little insulted that you think I'd let you."

Hyde looked a little taken aback. Jackie continued, "Look, Steven," she said, "You're right, I came here to make sure you are okay. No matter what else happens I'm always going to love you, but I have worked too damn hard to get where I am just to throw it all away. Please understand this- I am not the same girl you left two years ago. I have a family now, a good one. I have a future, one I made with my own hard work. If you want to be a part of that, it's up to you, but I won't sacrifice it in the hope that it will finally be enough for you to love me!"

Hyde stared at her. The spark in her eyes was back. What he'd snuffed out, she'd rebuilt. "I'm real proud of you, dollface," he said sincerely. He reached up to put his hand on her cheek, when his vision started to blur. His chest was heavy and his head was spinning with dizziness.

Jackie watched his arm fall limply and his body start to shake. "AMINA!" she screamed, "HELP!"

Amina came dashing into the room seconds later and in a flash had the needle in the bottle and pushed a dose of Ativan into Hyde's IV. She grabbed the notepad and glanced at the clock. "He shouldn't be needing one right now, but maybe it's all the excitement. He should stop shaking in a second and then he may have a few minutes before it puts him to sleep. I'm going to call the hospital and leave a message for Miss Kitty."

Jackie looked at Steven, his body relaxing and his eyes coming back into focus. He looked at her and for the second time since she'd known him, he looked scared. Her mind gave in to her heart and she eased herself onto the bed. She pulled him close and rested his head on her chest. "Shhh," she said softly, "I'm right here, baby. Just rest."

Hyde closed his eyes, his brain was foggy but he needed to say it. "I love you, Jackie."

Jackie kissed the top of his head, soft tears falling into the curls as he fell asleep. As his breathing deepened she whispered, "Love you too, Steven."

She waited a few minutes and then slid quietly out from under his weight. She needed to get back to Evanston soon, or she was afraid she'd find a reason not to. She walked down to the kitchen, wiping her eyes and drying her face on her hands. Amina was hanging up the phone.

"I just spoke to Kitty," she said, "She thinks it was the excitement from last night. She said to let him rest and try to make him eat something when he wakes up. Are you okay Lije?" She asked, just noticing the splotchy complexion on her beautiful friend.

"I'm fine, just overemotional from everything."

"Do you want to go back to sleep?" Amina offered, "I can wake you when we hear about Michael."

"Thanks, but I've got some classwork to finish. I don't think I'll be here much longer, but I don't want to leave it until the last minute," Jackie said.

"Good idea," Amina replied, "I'll bring you some breakfast." Before Jackie could protest, Amina was pulling ingredients out of the pantry and refrigerator.

Jackie walked back to the living room and pulled her bag into Red's study. She was just about to turn on the light when she realized Betsy was asleep in her crib. Sneaking out, she went to spread her books on the dining room table when she heard Betsy cry.

"MAMA!" wailed the little one, confused at her unfamiliar surroundings. Jackie rushed in and picked her up, trying to comfort her goddaughter.

Betsy blinked and stared for a second, "Aunt Jackie?" she said.

"Yes, baby, Aunt Jackie's right here," she said, patting her on the back while she swayed gently from side to side.

Amina came in and brushed Betsy's hair back from her eyes. "Mina," she said sleepily, holding one chubby little hand out for Amina. Amina lifted her out of Jackie's arms and snuggled her close. Jackie smiled. Seeing Betsy feel safe and loved was comforting to her.

Amina swayed with her and said, "Betsy, would you like pancakes?"

Betsy nodded as she continued to snuggle Amina, smiling broadly at her godmother and sticking one thumb in her mouth. Jackie smiled back and waved two fingers at her like she was going to tickle her. Betsy squealed in delight and buried her head into Amina's neck. Amina laughed and ran to the kitchen still holding Betsy tight. Jackie chased them and made monster noises. Just as she got close, Amina handed Betsy the spatula and she dealt the death blow to the tickle monster, whacking Jackie on the head with it. Collapsing to the floor and feigning defeat, she smiled again when she heard her goddaughter giggle loudly.

"I thought I heard a punchkin in here!" came Red's voice from the door. He came in, grinning, closely followed by Eric. Seeing that the kitchen was nearly at capacity, Jackie retreated to the dining room again and sat down at the table. Picking up her syllabus and the rough drafts of two of her essays she was pondering which to start on first when Eric came in.

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I'm proud of you," he said quietly, "You were a total badass last night." He went back to the kitchen, leaving her feeling more comforted by far than at any point in the last 12 hours. Her brother knew how to settle the world around her with a few words. _I DO have a good family._

* * *

July 7th

Minneapolis

Ava woke up several times that night. Her sleep wouldn't return to normal for a long time, she supposed. The last time had been near 5 a.m. She'd crept down to Ben's office and checked that he was still there. He was asleep on his couch, wearing a white tank top undershirt and a blanket covering the rest of him. His dark brown hair had a few gray strands in it near the temple, but his arms were nice and muscular. She'd stared at him for a few minutes before she realized how creepy she was being and went back to the crash room. _Get a grip, Donna! Ooops, Ava! He's like 40! Your mom just died! Stop latching on to a man just because he's in the room!_

With that thought, she pulled the covers back over herself and tried to think of Seattle and her future. Maybe she would look into the colleges after all. There had to be something she was good at….


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Point Place Hospital, July 8th

Michael Kelso was struggling through the darkness. He could feel his body now, and it fucking hurt. Everything from his chest to his lower back felt like it was simultaneously on fire and recovering from a beating with a baseball bat. His arms seemed detached, as did his legs. _What the hell happened?_

With nothing to do but wait for the darkness to lift, he tried to remember how he got into the abyss. _This better not have anything to do with the damn water tower. Brooke will kick my ass._

His mind raced through his last memories. A car ride with Donna, they had argued because she was trying to get Eric back. He couldn't remember a car crash though. He remembered Hyde on the bathroom floor, he was having a seizure. Jackie had shown up. She'd been worried… _Wait! That's it! JACKIE! OH MY GOD! HE'S GOING TO SHOOT ERIC!_

Michael's eyes burned from the sudden lightening. He could feel his eyelids moving upward. His head swam with disorientation as he tried to focus on something and find his bearings. A flash of brown entered his field of vision, giving him a contrast to the blanket of white above him. He fixated on it, blinking as hard as he could. Slowly, so slowly, a shape began to define itself. He could see pink lips, and gold shot through the mass of brown. He knew that hair, those pink lips. He felt himself smile. "Brooke," he sighed.

Brooke's hand flew to her mouth, happy tears falling like rain down her face onto Michael's blanket. He closed his eyes again and began breathing deeply. Brooke ran to the door and shouted down the hall, "Kitty! Come quick!"

Kitty fairly sprinted down the hall from the coffee station, gamely trying to avoid creating a spill hazard on the floor. Clutching the doorframe for support she watched as Michael would briefly open his eyes, try to focus, then close them again. "His body is waking up from the sedation. This may take a while, dear."

"That's okay," said Brooke, grinning from ear to ear, "I'll wait as long as he needs me to."

Kelso continued in this vein for another half hour before he began to fully awaken. Within fifteen minutes he was wide-eyed and wincing from the pain. "Brooke?" he asked, "Is everyone okay?"

Brooke grabbed his hand and squeezed it affectionately, "They're fine, Michael" she said, "You saved Jackie's life, you know." She hesitated, but decided he could handle the whole truth, "Sweetie, Randy was injured before you guys got in the house. He didn't make it. His family is going to be here tomorrow to collect him and take him back to Minnesota for a funeral."

Michael swallowed hard and nodded. "That sucks," he said, "I didn't know him real well, but he seemed like an okay guy. His folks are probably pretty tore up about it. Wish we could've gotten there sooner."

Brooke put her hand on his cheek and turned his face to hers. "Honey, you did an amazing thing. You saved Jackie's life. You're my hero." She leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.

Michael smiled and then opened his eyes, looking sheepish. "Um, okay don't laugh," he said, "but I wasn't trying to save Jackie." Brooke's eyes widened and she looked confused. "The only thing I saw when we opened the door was that the guy had a gun and he was pointing it at Eric. All I could think was that I couldn't let him hurt Eric." Kelso looked away, embarrassed.

"Oh, Michael," said Brooke thickly, "that is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard! You were protecting your oldest friend, sweetie, don't be embarrassed!" She smiled through watery eyes at him and then went about checking on his injuries.

Kitty returned just then and jumped up and down, clapping her hands at the sight of Michael Kelso wide awake. "Michael, honey! Oh, I am just so glad you're okay!" She ran over and gave him a big hug. A yelping sound made her draw back and lift the bed sheet. His entire chest region was black and blue from bruising and the angry wound the bullet left was clearly tender. She gently lifted the edge of the bandage and peered at the entry hole. "No sign of infection so far, dear. That's good. Can you sit up at all?"

Kelso tried but the pain was too much. Falling back and taking short gasps to work through the pain, he kept his eyes squeezed shut until the searing sensation diminished. He turned his head to Kitty and asked her, "How bad is it?"

Kitty smiled to reassure him, "You've made it through the worst part, Michael. Your liver was nicked, so you'll need to take it easy with the food and beer for a few months. The bullet pierced your lung as well, but they fixed that and no ribs were shattered. Most of the pain you're feeling is from the heavy sedation wearing off. I'll find your nurse to get you some regular pain meds." She jumped up and went to find the ICU nurse.

Brooke was still smiling at him, clutching his right hand tightly in hers. He looked at her and smiled back. "I'm sorry, babe," he said, "I know I promised, but I am a Kelso. We get hurt just trying to walk to the car!"

She laughed and kissed his hand, "Michael, I'm just so very thankful you're alive. You have no idea how terrifying the last day and a half has been. I just don't know if my life would ever be whole without you in it."

He stared in awe at this gorgeous, smart woman who loved him. Him! The "pretty-boy moron" as Red had said. He cleared his throat and squeezed her hand, "Brooke," he said looking her directly in the eyes, "I'd love to marry you if you'll have me. You're the only thing I want in this whole world, besides Betsy and the Little Peanut in there."

Brooke picked his hand up and closed it inside both of hers. Kissing the top of his fingers, she held their hands to her cheek and said, "I'd love to marry you."

Both of them smiled, happiness bathing them in comfort and peace. "Babe," he said, "Can we have a trampoline at the reception?"

"Who has a reception without one?" she said, smiling down at him.

* * *

July 8th (still)

Brooklyn

Eddie and Georgie were waiting for Vincenzo outside his house. They'd fed the Boss the story about the body dump and he'd seemed appeased, if not pleased. Eddie was just happy he hadn't asked them to "come in for the night shift". There was still the matter of Joe disappearing, though. Eddie had called his sister again this morning and she'd told him Joe still wasn't back from his business trip. Eddie thought Joe's sister might be mistaken, what with the bottle trouble she'd had all those years ago, and he'd driven by just to make sure. Joe, it turned out, was not home.

Eddie honked the horn impatiently. He was anxious to get going. Nothing had been on the news at all yesterday about the identity of "the man in the alley", just a short segment on a shooting near the bank. He and the boys were going to try and locate the cab driver Frankie had been with 2 nights ago. If he'd told the guy anything, he'd have to be silenced as well. Eddie wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. This was precisely why he loathed wet work. Too many bodies piling up too fast. He looked down at his watch. They'd been waiting on Vinnie's fat ass to get out of his house for 15 minutes now. "Georgie, go in there and find out what's takin him so long!" Eddie barked, "We gotta find that cabbie!"

Georgie nodded and exited the Lincoln. He used a spare key his cousin had given him to open the front door and stepped inside. Immediately he knew something was very wrong. Vinnie was a sloppy eater, but the house was always meticulously clean. Georgie always suspected that Vinnie had a lot of time on his hands with no wife or girlfriend. The salon was untouched, but he could see through to the kitchen and it was a disaster. Broken dishes and chairs turned over. Sprinting to the kitchen he slipped on a mass of blood oozing by the entryway. He caught his balance and turned to see his pudgy cousin's body propped up in front of the refrigerator. He assumed it was Vinnie as he was in the same clothes Vinnie would wear, but he couldn't distinguish a single feature on his face. He reached forward to tap Vinnie's face, "VINNIE! VINCENZO! YOU OKAY?" he shouted. Trembling, he reached two fingers up to the neck to check for a pulse. The skin was cold and clammy and he could detect a purplish tinge on the underside of Vinnie's palms. No pulse. Vinnie was dead.

Georgie sat back roughly and looked around. Who would do this to his family? A glint of sunlight reflecting off the kitchen countertop caught his eye. Standing he slowly walked towards it and realized it was a single .38 caliber bullet. It held in place a note written on starkly white, stiff paper.

 _Our man inside told me there's talk of evidence. Take care of it._

Georgie's eyes went wide and he leaned over the sink and vomited. The Boss had a few men inside the precincts in Brooklyn and Queens who passed him information on investigations. _FUCK!_ He rinsed out the sink and cast a last sad look at Vinnie. He'd get some of the new guys to collect Vinnie and take him to Eddie's family's funeral home. They'd be able to store him until a funeral could be arranged.

He headed outside and slid into the passenger seat next to Eddie. "That fat-fuck cousin of yours better be on his way out here," Eddie said, snorting with impatience. Georgie leaned over and grabbed Eddie by the collar, "Listen here you little rat-faced shit-stain. Vinnie's dead. The Boss left this note," he handed it over to Eddie, "Vinnie bought us a couple of hours, so hows about you shut the fuck up when it comes to my cousin."

Eddie glanced down and read the note quickly. Nodding, he gently eased Georgie's hand off his collar. Technically, Eddie was senior to him in the Family, but Georgie had 7 inches and 150 lbs on him- Eddie decided not to piss him off today. "Alright, Georgie. My condolences about Vincenzo."

Georgie gave a terse jerk of his head and said, "What kinda evidence do you think the cops got?"

"Well, we know they got Frank's body. We used the revolvers, so no casings got left. Maybe the cops know about the cabbie?" Eddie suggested.

"Don't think so," shrugged Georgie, "More likely that someone saw from the street. Can't risk going back so soon, though, you know the cops are gonna be heavy there for a few days. Guess we could take a run at the old cab guy just to make sure."

Eddie turned the vehicle in the direction of the Moonlight Cab Company. He'd retrieved the address from the Yellow Pages this morning. As they drove to the garage, he thought of a better way to ascertain what this guy did or didn't know. Pulling off near McCarren Park he found the nearest payphone and dialed the dispatch number to Moonlight Cab.

"Moonlight Cab," the dispatcher answered churlishly.

"Hi, I'd like to request cab 5Z55 at McCarren Park," Eddie said.

Angelica smiled to herself. Making Parler come back to Brooklyn sounded good to her. He'd just radioed in from Central Park in Manhattan. _This'll take the spring out of that old goat's step._ "No problem, sir," she said, "I'll send him to you right away."

Eddie hung up the phone. If this was the same cabbie he could get a good look at him, take a ride and question him. Maybe he didn't know nothing, maybe he knew everything. Either way, this would be far easier than trying to chase him down.

* * *

July 8th

Point Place Police Department

Sergeant Kennedy was more exhausted than he'd been in his whole life. Two days ago he'd been the Sergeant of the quietest police force in the country. The Burkhardt scandal had been the biggest crime to ever hit the town. Now, though, a B&E that ended up in a double homicide, along with the disappearance of two of the town's residents. He heaved a deep sigh and rubbed his eyes. Officer Crawford had been tasked with taking the dead intruder's fingerprints and comparing them to the Point Place PD's files. Kennedy didn't expect anything to turn up, but at least it kept Second-Chance Lance out of his hair for a while.

A knock on his door jerked him away from his thoughts. He jumped to his feet as Captain Williams strode in. The Captain waved for him to sit down and he pulled up a chair opposite his Sergeant, "Kevin, I just got a call from the NYPD. They found Bob Pinciotti in Brooklyn yesterday," he looked down sadly and continued, "He'd been shot several times. Before you ask, I checked and Donna was nowhere to be found, though I did ask them to keep me apprised if they did find her."

"Do they think that the B&E here had anything to do with Bob's death in New York?" he asked solemnly.

"They as much as confirmed it, although they were real tight with the details," Captain Williams said, "They asked for a description of the assailant and asked if we could fax over his fingerprints. I nearly died laughing when that asshole said 'fax'. I told him the nearest fax machine to us was in Milwaukee, but I agreed to send Crawford down there to send it."

Kennedy nodded and leaned back in his chair, "So Bob Pinciotti was murdered in New York City, but the NYPD thinks the guy here was looking to do the same."

"Precisely," said the Captain.

"Great," sighed Kennedy, "another layer to the mystery."

"Look," said Captain Williams, "let's send the information to the NYPD and let them finish their investigation. They've got way more money and resources than we do here. They'll probably know who the intruder is as soon as they get his prints. I'll have Crawford send over some copies of the crime scene photos as well. Once they know who he is then we can reopen our investigation. Meanwhile, we keep our eyes and ears out for Donna Pinciotti. She's legally an adult, so we can't initiate a missing person report, but we can still be on the lookout for her."

Kennedy looked relieved at the suggestion from his boss. "Sounds like a plan, sir," he said, "I'll have the boys bag and log all the evidence and put it in the cage." He stood and shook the Captain's hand.

"Thanks Kevin," Captain Williams said, retreating back to his comfy office on the other side of the building.

Sergeant Kennedy looked at the mountain of paperwork left to fill out for the case and decided to take a break. He now had plenty of time to catch up on all of it, with no more cases to solve.

* * *

Foreman Residence

Hyde had been in bed for two days and was desperate for a shower. He looked down at the IV in his hand and wondered if he could balance well enough so as not to rip it out while he was in the bathroom. Lifting his arm to examine the line, a quick whiff from his underarm convinced him that he'd better try. Throwing the blanket off him he stood slowly and grabbed the IV pole with one hand. Taking small measured steps he had made it to the door when it was suddenly opened from the other side. Narrowly missing the edge of the door as it flew by him, he froze as Jackie walked into the room carrying a plate with toast and bacon on it.

"Steven!" she exclaimed, "Jesus! You shouldn't be up right now!" Her eyes were full of concern, and his heart fluttered a little at the thought.

"I'm fine, doll," he said, "I just really need a shower."

Before he could finish the sentence, she'd set the plate down and had placed his free arm around her neck. As her hand slid around his waist, he tried to shrug away. "Don't, Steven," she said firmly, "If you fall or trip or get so much as a scratch on you, Kitty will utterly destroy me."

"So you're helping me because you're afraid of Mrs. Foreman?" he asked, not completely able to hide the hurt in his voice.

Jackie chose to ignore him. "Look, if you want to take a bath or a shower, fine. Just let me help," she paused, "Please."

"Thanks, Jacks" he said softly. It was like the last year and half had suddenly appeared in between them and expanded. The Jackie he had known wouldn't have said "Please", she'd have dropped his arm, kicked him in the shins and let him collapse in the shower. His footing wasn't unsteady in just the literal sense anymore. He had no idea how to navigate this conversation.

Once in the bathroom, she opened the side drawer and removed a box of large Band-Aids. She motioned for his hand and taped both over his IV insertion. As she gently pulled his shirt over his head and slipped it up along the IV line he opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off, "Nope. Not one dirty joke or innuendo, Steven Hyde. We aren't even close to being that kind of good with each other, yet."

He grinned but nodded his understanding. She faced the other way while he slid his sweatpants down and climbed in the shower. The hot water felt incredible on his skin. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember the last time he had bathed. _Nice. Just like Bud._ He reached for the shampoo when he heard Jackie say, "Don't use your IV hand!"

"Umm, then how will I wash my hair, Jackie?" he retorted.

He heard her sigh, "Fine. Just… NO funny business," and she pulled the curtain back to help him.

He hadn't expected her to take what he said that way, but he wasn't going to object either. She'd already pulled a small stepstool from the linen closet to the edge of the shower. Reaching in she guided his head back under the water and massaged his curls. Closing his eyes, he wondered if this was all a very cruel trick his mind was playing on him. _If this is a dream, please don't let me wake up._ A sense of fear rapidly washed over him and his throat felt tight.

"Steven," Jackie said, "are you okay?" Her voice had changed. It was laced with worry. He stepped out of the water spray and wiped his face with his free hand. Her hands were still on either side of his face, and he could still see those beautiful mismatched eyes. His throat eased up and he felt his face relax a little.

"Yeah," he said simply. He picked up the shampoo and handed it to her. She squeezed a little out and continued her gentle touches. After his hair had been rinsed she made to withdraw her hands from his head. His right one grabbed her left and held it there. "Please stay with me for a few minutes."

Jackie's heart was beating so violently she was sure it was moving her shirt. _He's hurting. Don't pile it on, Burkhardt._ "Okay," she said simply. She pulled her hand down and grabbed a towel from the closet. She placed it on the stepstool and pulled the curtain closed between them. She sat down on the stepstool and said, "I'll stay right here."

Hyde pinched the bridge of his nose and silently thanked God that she had drawn the curtain. The tears were flowing freely from his eyes and he had no idea how to stop them. Searching desperately for a distraction he cleared his throat, "So, anyone going to tell me who Amina is?" he asked.

Jackie heard the thickness in his voice, but tactfully ignored it, "She's my best friend, besides Brooke. I met her at school in Chicago. I introduced her to Eric on New Year's and they hit it off immediately," she paused, unsure how much Eric would want her to reveal, "They've been together ever since."

"Where is she from?" he asked, "Her accent is beautiful."

"Sarajevo, Yugoslavia," Jackie replied, "but she always refers to herself as Bosnian."

"Very cool," Hyde said, pausing he asked, "Is she good to him?"

Jackie stopped to consider how un-Hyde like his question was. "She's perfect," she answered honestly, "She loves him for who he is, not what he does for her."

"Yeah, I know what that feels like," Hyde said back before he could stop himself. Cringing, he waited for the explosion.

"Do you?" came a soft voice just inches from his face. Jackie had drawn the curtain open and was looking at him with more pain in her face than he ever wanted to see.

He leaned forward and took her face in his hands. Staring hard into her eyes he tried to think of the right words. Instead, he kissed her softly on the lips, then the tip of her nose, then her forehead. "Yeah, dollface, I do," he rested his forehead to hers, "because of you."

Jackie brushed a tear away from her cheek and pulled her face away. Smiling she turned around and sat back down. "What else do you want to know?"

Steven smiled a little. He'd finally said something right. "What are you studying at… in Chicago?" he realized he had no idea what college she was at.

Jackie picked up on the hint and answered, "We all go to Northwestern, Steven," she said, "I'm studying Journalism and Political Science, Eric is majoring in Computer Science, and Amina is majoring in Economics."

Hyde was duly impressed. "Damn, Jacks. That's amazing. All of you are. Wish I could see your dad's face when he finds out you'll be exposing crooked politicians for a living." His brain gave him a hard kick in the ass. _One step forward, one giant leap back_. There was a long silence from the other side of the curtain. "Jackie, I-" he began.

"Steven, it's fine," she said, and now her voice was a bit detached, "He won't care."

"Jackie," he pulled the curtain back just a little and put a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sure he'll be proud of you no matter what."

Jackie stood up and walked a few steps away. She turned to face him and leaned against the sink. Her arms folded protectively over her herself, and her child-like features looked suddenly care-worn. "He won't care because he's dead, Steven. He died," she took a quick breath, "about a month after my mother did."

Hyde stared at her, his mind reeling. "What? When? Jackie… why didn't you say anything to me?"

Jackie nodded at the shower and said, "Look, why don't you finish up in here and I'll make sure you have some clean clothes to change into. Then, you can eat and I'll answer any questions you have for me." Without waiting for an answer she left the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind her.

Hyde could have beaten himself stupid with his own IV pole and felt better than he did right now. _How long has she been carrying all this with her? How did I miss this?_

He tried to scrub himself off as quickly as he could. Shutting off the water, he dried off with the towel she'd left and wrapped it around himself. Checking that the coast was clear, he hobbled as quickly as he could back to Laurie's room. Jackie was already waiting with a fresh pair of sweatpants, boxers and a clean T-shirt. He accepted them with thanks and tried to dress quickly. He nearly ripped his IV out putting on the shirt until Jackie turned around to rescue him. Smiling she lifted the IV bag off the holder slid it through the arm hole first. Once he climbed back into the bed, she handed him his plate of food.

He took it, but didn't eat. He just stared at this tiny little tower of strength. All of 19 years old, she'd buried both her parents and hadn't fallen apart. "Eat," she said, pointing to his plate, "I didn't cook it so it's probably delicious."

"Jackie," he said, "I'll eat, but you need to talk to me. I've missed… everything."

She nodded and looked at him pointedly. He reluctantly raised a piece of toast to his mouth. Satisfied, she said, "November 1st, 1979. She was in Marseilles, 'for the season', and she had a heart attack in her sleep. The concierge found her and I arranged for her to be cremated and her ashes scattered at the beach," she gave a small smile, "I think she'd have liked that. Jack passed away a week before Christmas. He never showed any remorse for what he did, and he damn near bankrupted the entire county with his embezzlement so I left him in the prison cemetery. The house was paid for, but Pam had borrowed against it after Jack went to jail. Two days before Christmas I got a notice from the lawyer handling her and Jack's wills telling me I needed to put the house on the market and sell it to pay off the debt. So I did. I had enough left over to put a little bit away in savings and pay Fez for a year of rent."

If there was a false bottom to the barrel he'd crawled into, Hyde surely felt like he'd found it. She'd been here when it all happened. She'd been _right here_ , and he'd never bothered to see it. "Did you tell anybody?" he asked.

"Red and Kitty know, but I told them after the fact," she stated plainly, "It all happened so fast that I didn't have the chance to fall apart about it. A few months later, when I had some downtime to process it, I realized that while I was sad they were gone I was also proud that it hadn't broken me. It was the first time I felt strong in a long time."

She smiled the kind of weary smile you see on first responders after a crisis has abated. The kind of smile that says, 'we made it'. He looked at her, wanting badly to make up for having left her so alone in such a desperate hour. So he did the one thing he knew she'd always loved.

He patted the bed next to him and she climbed up. Moving the plate to the side, he wrapped both arms around her and held her close to him. She listened to the sound of his heart and felt her own breathing ease up. This always felt right, even when the world was completely wrong.

She laid her hand on his chest and his free hand covered hers. She felt herself growing sleepy and she tried to get up. Steven held her fast and whispered, "Just rest. I'm right here."

The last of the tension in her back disappeared and she sank into him, and sleep. As her breathing grew slower and deeper, Hyde brushed strands of hair out of her face. He took advantage of the opportunity and looked at every inch of her he could see without disturbing her. Her face was relaxed with sleep, but he saw the dark shadows under her eyes. The tiniest of lines had formed on the corners of her eyes. Kitty called them worry lines. He knew there had to be more on the way. In fact, he was sure he'd be the cause of the next few.

"I swear, doll, I will get better. I will be better. For both of us." He kissed the top of her head and sank into the pillows, holding her close and falling asleep with her.

* * *

Amina and Eric had finished breakfast when she had suggested a walk around the neighborhood. It was one of the things she was used to doing at home that she'd gotten him in the habit of doing, too. They walked around the block and headed up to the main road. The morning air was still pleasantly cool and as they headed back, Amina tucked herself under his arm. He pulled her close, pausing their walk, and kissed her deeply.

"I love when you do that, Eric," she sighed. Her smile lit up her features and he smiled back.

"Maybe we should continue back at the house?" he said, waggling his eyebrows. For all he had grown up, he was still 21 after all. She laughed and pulled him by the arm towards the house. As they reached their part of the street they passed by the Pinciotti's house. Yellow crime scene tape was still up everywhere. The house looked like an evil presence had infected it. Eric felt a cold and hollow feeling grow in his chest. Kelso was still in the hospital, Randy had died, Jackie had nearly been murdered. _Where the hell are Bob and Donna?_

Amina put both her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. "Come, my love," she said, "we need to get back and we can go check on Michael."

"How did you know I was thinking about Kelso?" he asked.

"He is your family!" she said, sounding surprised he had to ask, "Of course you are thinking of him and what happened! Sometimes, I think, we want so badly to be happy in moments of great sadness that we make it happen, but always we come back to it until it is finished."

He nodded in agreement and they kept walking. He didn't know if there would ever be a day or a time when that house didn't represent the evil this world was capable of.

Amina slid open the door to the kitchen just as the dryer downstairs buzzed. "Oh good!" she said, "Lije gave me a special scent for that blanket Hyde kept and now it is ready. I think he will like it." She ran down to the basement and grabbed the warm, jasmine-scented goose-down duvet from the dryer and carried it upstairs. The door to Hyde's room was ajar and she lightly tapped on it before pushing it open. She smiled softly at the sight of Hyde and Jackie, completely intertwined and fast asleep. She made sure the curtains were closed and turned on the ceiling fan. Quickly and quietly she spread the blanket over them both and backed out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Back in the kitchen, Eric saw his fiancée walk in grinning from ear to ear. "What's up, babe? Did Hyde thank you profusely for his newly restored blanket?"

"No, sweetheart, love just makes me happy." She grabbed his hand and her purse and they left for Point Place Hospital.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

McCarren Park, Brooklyn

July 8th

Parler pulled the cab over at the man signaling him. He'd circled the damn park twice already, this had better be his fare. The man and his friend were dressed like the mob guys from Nolita. Parler might look like just another old cab driver, but he was an observant guy. They wore expensive jewelry with cheap suits and always seemed to walk around with an undeserved sense of self-importance. Big Paul Castellano might be able to walk that walk genuinely, but these days every half-cocked bookie and asshole eating a cannoli seemed to think they'd earned that same level of fear and respect.

The smaller man got in behind Parler and the much taller, beefier man got in the passenger side. "Sorry, sir, no passengers up front. State law." Parler said.

The big guy twisted so Parler could see his revolver in a shoulder holster. "Maybe we could make an exception for me?" he said, without a hint of politeness.

Parler sighed and flipped the meter. "Where to, gentlemen?" he said, trying to keep the disdain out of his voice and not totally succeeding. _These kind of assholes demand respect 'cuz they can't command respect._

"Pelham Bay Park" the smaller man replied.

"You know that's gonna be a pricey ride, gentlemen?" Parler asked, "Just want to be upfront with you."

"Gee, thanks," said the smaller man, his voice oozing sarcasm, "Just get a move on."

"Your dime, sir," he said and pulled away from the park. Turning south on Manhattan Blvd to the 278 he heard the small man say, "Hey, take McGuiness to Midtown Tunnel, I want to see Manhattan."

Parler was about to reach back and slap the shit out of this greaseball. Counting to three he pulled in the left lane and turned to get onto McGuiness. This ride was going to take at least an hour and a half. As he entered the Midtown Tunnel he saw the passenger unholster his gun. "Now listen, friend, you may just want to keep that put away," he said.

"No, you listen, ya stupid fuck," said the little weasel in the back, "We got some questions for ya, and if you answer we get out at Pelham Bay Park and nobody gotta worry about nothing."

"What the hell would I know about any of your business?" said Parler, angry at their presumption.

"You had dinner a few nights ago at Sparks, that right?"

"Yes" said Parler. He hoped he knew what he was doing. Trying to drive and answer questions while having a gun pointed at you was pretty damn hard to do.

"That guy you had dinner with- he your boyfriend?" the little weasel said, the last part with a sneer.

"No" replied Parler.

"He your cousin?"

"No"

"Then how did you come to be havin dinner with him that night?" he asked, "Sparks ain't no Denny's, and I don't think you got the funds to treat yourself to that kind of food."

"That who you are?" Parler spat back, "The restaurant police?"

The man in the back leaned forward and Parler felt a cold blade on the back of his neck. "See, now we were doin' good and you had to be discourteous to me. I'm givin' you one warning, old man, I ain't playin' around. Now, how did you know that man?"

"He was a pickup from the airport. Asked me about a nice place to eat a steak. Seemed like a personable sort of man, so I gave him my card. He phoned up, I took him to Sparks. Man had a good bit of money to throw around so he offered to buy my dinner, since Sparks don't take reservations for one. I dropped him back at his hotel, and that's the last I saw of him."

"He give you his name?"

"Said his name was Frank. Frank Valero."

The man leaned back and seemed to think for a bit. Parler turned onto FDR Drive. The big guy hadn't said anything so far. Parler knew he was getting close. The man nodded and gestured to the big guy. "Get off at 116th, then head towards Riverside," the giant said.

 _Dumping grounds. You sorry sons of bitches._ Parler knew it. They were going to shoot him and dump him in the Hudson off Riverside Park. He was glad he'd learned to swim in the Navy. He rolled down his window and reached for a cigarette pack in the cup holder. The big man watched him carefully as Parler steered with his knees while he lit his cigarette. _Might be my last one, might as well enjoy it._ He'd been slowly accelerating the Chevrolet up to 70. Just as they rounded the curve he saw Ward's Island Bridge and took his chance. Punching the accelerator, he swung the steering wheel hard right and the car launched through the wooden barrier into the Harlem River.

The Chevrolet hit the water with a crunching of metal and wheels. Parler had yanked on his seatbelt and mashed the brake as soon as he felt the tires leave the road. His seatbelt had auto-locked and he braced for the impact. The big goon in the front should've listened to Parler. His passenger side seat belt didn't click properly, which was why he didn't allow passengers up front. The man must've shrunk half a foot from the impact with the windshield alone. The weasel in the back screamed like a girl and tried to back away from the water flooding in.

Parler shook his head to clear the cobwebs and then unbuckled himself. He swam easily through the window and breached the surface. Swimming for the center of the river, he knew the current would take him to Mill Rock. 20 minutes later, Parler pulled himself ashore and gestured to the River Patrol Boat coming up on scene. Another craft raced ahead to the bubbles still issuing from the sinking car. A patrolman leapt from the boat and ran up to Parler, "Hey sir! You alright?"

"I'll be fine soon as I'm dry," Parler said, his teeth chattering, "Two guys jumped in my cab and tried to rob me! They pulled a gun and a knife on me and I crashed through the barrier!"

The patrolman shook his head, "Gettin' too dangerous to be a cabbie in this goddamn city! That's the third one today. Listen, sir, we'll get you patched up here and take you to the precinct to make a report."

Parler accepted a blanket with a word of thanks and allowed himself to be examined by the River Patrol EMT. Two NYPD cars pulled up and Parler was escorted to the precinct to make his report. The investigator kept up a steady stream of suspicious questions for more than 3 hours, until both Moonlight Cab Company and the police dive unit corroborated his story. Clutching a copy of the report in his hands, he was ready to call a cab himself until a young black patrolman came up and offered him a ride anywhere he needed.

Once inside his modest apartment, Parler stripped down and took a long hot shower. He was worried, very worried, about Frank. In case his plan hadn't worked, he'd intentionally given the goons the impression that he didn't remember much about Frank. Now, though, it seemed like the thing to do was pay Agent Miller another visit.

* * *

July 8th

Foreman Residence

Jackie didn't want to wake up. She wasn't tired anymore, but she knew that opening her eyes would mean opening an uncomfortable and awkward can of worms. She felt warm, safe and loved in this place. Lying here, wrapped up in Steven's arms. A warm heat rushed to her center and desire shot through her. _Oh. My. God. Not now, Burkhardt. He still has an IV in his hand._

Familiar hands stroked her back, tracing small concentric circles that melted her from the inside. She realized her other hand, which had been lying on his chest, was interwoven with his. He was breathing deeply, and she wondered if he was doing this in his sleep. Somehow, it made her heart hurt a little more. She buried her face into his chest, trying to steel herself with resolve. _Let him get better first. The worst is yet to come._

"Jackie?" his voice sounded stronger. She allowed herself the ego boost that maybe she had something to do with it.

"Steven?" she replied. She sounded more relaxed. He let himself think he was the reason.

"I'm sorry to wake you, doll, but I need to get up." She looked up at him and he was gesturing to the empty IV bag. He had to pee like a racehorse.

"Oh! Sorry!" and she jumped up. He sat up gingerly and hobbled to the bathroom. When he got back, she was nowhere to be seen.

"Jackie?" he called, looking in the closet. "Jackie?" he called again turning around in a circle. He was just about to try and navigate the stairs when he heard her voice drift up from the landing.

"I know, Eric," she was saying, "I'm probably going to head back on Saturday. I just want to make sure everything is settled, and there's some stuff I need here to help me figure out the other problem."

"I understand," Eric said, his tone conciliatory, "I don't want to sound like I'm patronizing you. I just worry. It's what big brothers do."

She said something else and he heard her footsteps approaching. He stood his ground. He wanted to know what she and Eric had been discussing. What "other problem"? Since when had he become her "big brother"?

She looked up and saw Steven standing at the top of the stairs. His arms were crossed and he looked a little upset. "Steven?" she asked, "Is everything okay?"

"I just wondered where you disappeared to," he said shrugging, "Didn't think I was gone long enough for you to leave again."

 _Oh. Hell. No._ "Uh-uh, Steven," she said, a fierce spark in her eyes, "if you want to passive-aggressively torture someone you're going to have to find a new piñata. I'm not your property, and I don't owe you one damn thing." She ended her tirade abruptly. She knew he was hurting, so she'd given him some leeway, but this was as far as she was willing to go. She needed to keep a level head, and getting drawn into a fight wasn't a good strategy.

Hyde had the decency to look ashamed of himself, "I'm sorry, Jacks," he said, "It's an old habit that dies hard. I'll work on it. Could we please just hang out for a bit?"

She managed to unclench her fists and took a deep breath, "Thanks for saying that, Steven," she said, "What did you want to do?"

"Can we talk?" he asked.

"Sure," she said, leading the way back to Laurie's room, "WB called and left a message. He's arranged for your rehab to start on Saturday. Well, it actually already started here, but you fly out on Saturday. He's paid for the treatment in full at a private hospital." He sat down on the edge of the bed and she stood next to him. He'd been hoping she'd sit with him, but she clearly wasn't in the mood right now. She continued to talk as she changed out his IV bag, "The first week they'll monitor your health, lots of blood draws and medication like here if you need it, and they're going to assess any muscular damage as well. Then the counseling and group therapy starts the next week. According to WB, he said that the treatment is self-paced. The counselors are there to help and guide you, but how long you stay is up to you."

Hyde tried to nod, but he didn't want to lift his head up. "Steven?" she asked, more worry echoing in again. When he didn't respond she bolted out of the chair and grabbed his head, lifting it up to check on him. She nearly fainted when she saw tears rolling down his cheeks. "Steven… Baby?" she said weakly, "Talk to me."

"I messed this up so bad, Jacks," he said, his fears spilling out from their carefully contained corner of his mind. "I lost you, the store, my home. I just wanted to start over. I just wanted every last shitty thing I'd ever done to go away… but I made it so much worse. And now I'm afraid of what they're going to tell me at that hospital. I'm afraid that I won't get better, afraid that I'll just keep screwing this up all over again."

Jackie held him close to her while he said all this. _He's so scared. You know what to do._ She lifted his head up, her fingers lightly pressing his chin up. Putting both her hands on his cheeks, she wiped his tears with gently strokes from her thumbs. She looked into his eyes and pulled him in to her. She kissed him deeply, loving the sensation of her lips and his moving together. He reached up with his hands and wrapped his arms around her waist. She pulled away from the kiss and let him bury his face in her stomach. Her arms loosely cradling his neck, and one hand stroking the back of his hair.

"I can't walk this road for you, baby," she said softly, "but I'll always walk it with you. Please don't let fear stop you. I need you to get better." She paused, and decided to go for broke, "See, if you don't then I never get my answer, and I can't live my life wondering."

"Answer to what?" he asked, a bit confused. He pulled back to look up at her

"I need to know if I'm really who you should be with," she said simply.

"Jacks," he croaked out, "of course you're who I want. How can-"

She shook her head to stop him. "No, baby. I'm who you want _now_ because you're scared and you want life to go back to the last time you see as good. I need to know if I'm the one you want when your life is everything you want it to be. See, I found out who I was and what I could do. I went out on my own and became the me I always wanted to be. And after all that, I realized I was still completely in love with you. I let myself be open to the idea that maybe you weren't the one for me, but nobody else even came close. I need to know that I'm that person for you. I need to let you become the person you want to be, and I have to give you the freedom to choose me- or not- if that's what's best for you."

She said it all without pain, just calm and sincere hope. He took all of her words in. She wanted to make sure that, if they went down this road again, he was all in for the right reasons. He'd never seen anyone take such a big gamble on him, and look so confident in it.

"Can you stay here with me?" he asked, "Here in this room, for the next 2 days? Sleep next to me, talk to me, until I go?"

She nodded, "I'll get the cot from downstairs for Kitty's sake, but yes, I think I can do that."

"Thank you. Look, can I ask you something else?"

"Sure," she said, "but if you want to make out with me, then the answer's probably no." They laughed at her joke and he gestured for her to sit wherever she wanted. She curled up cross-legged on the end of the bed opposite him, pulling his legs up with her so he was laying back again.

"Okay, first, where'd you learn to change an IV bag?"

"Oh! Amina explained it when I was downstairs. The bag is easy, but you're shit out of luck if you need the actual IV changed. Amina did that when she brought Betsy back with her."

"Damn. She's a lady of many talents. Okay, second question- I heard you tell Eric about 'another problem'. Can you tell me what it's about?" he asked.

Jackie shook her head, "Sorry, baby. It's actually not all that safe for me to talk about it, but Eric and Brooke know the essentials and they've got my back."

He stared at her again. His doll was an enigma wrapped in a puzzle. "Jackie, should you be involved in it if it's that risky?"

"Something I have to do, Steven," she said, not offering further details, "But I promise that I'll be careful."

"Careful like tackling an armed intruder without any weapons on you?" he retorted, his eyebrows raised teasingly.

"Sometimes you've gotta be your own cavalry, baby."

He sighed, she really had found herself. It was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Beautiful to watch her shine in her own light, because of the things she'd accomplished. Heartbreaking because he wondered if he'd been the one holding her back all those years.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"Yeah, and I'm going to apologize if this comes out wrong but, what's up with you and Foreman?" he asked, "I mean, you guys never seemed that… close…before."

She smiled, "No, I get it. Look, when I left I knew it was going to be harder than anything I'd ever done. I was an orphan. I had almost no money. The only family I thought I had…" she trailed off apologetically, but he waved at her to continue, "Well, I knew Fez would keep my location secret. I needed that because I knew if, by some miracle, you showed up in those first few weeks to where I was that I'd go back with you in a heartbeat. I'd been writing to Eric a few times a week since he left. Mostly just short stuff to give him something to read, but I got used to doing it. When I knew I was leaving for good, I wrote to him and told him what my plan was. His reply is his to tell you if he wants, but that's where the "big brother/little sister" thing started. He changed a lot in Africa, Steven. When you have time, you should really ask him about it."

"I will, I swear," he said, "I feel like I woke up from a coma, Jacks. Everything's different."

"I hope that's not entirely bad," she said.

"No, not at all," he said, chuckling, "It's just strange to realize how stunted I've been."

"I think you'll catch up fairly quickly," she said, massaging his feet.

He grinned at her. "You've got a lot of faith in me, babe."

She shrugged her shoulders, "Meh, what can I say? I'm a hopeless optimist."

He thought for a few seconds before continuing, "Have you thought about what you want to do after you graduate? I know you have a few years, but.."

"Actually, if I can keep my current schedule, I'll graduate in about another year and a half," she interrupted, "May of '83."

He gaped at her, "Jackie, that's incredible. I hope you aren't burning yourself out."

She smiled, "It's fine. I don't have any science or math classes since I used my AP tests to get credit for those. You should see some of Eric's classes. My brain hurts just thinking about them! And Amina has to do the most ridiculous math problems for her Econ classes," she pulled a face and stuck her thumb down.

He watched her face become animated talking about school, her classwork and Evanston. Finally, she remembered his original question and said, "I guess I haven't ruled anything out, though, except broadcast journalism."

"I thought your dream was to be a weather girl," he teased, knowing he'd get a response.

"Jackass! I guess I wouldn't mind being a beat reporter, or a war correspondent if there was such a thing for women. I just don't want to be pigeon-holed because I happen to look good on camera. At least in print journalism I get credit for my work," she said.

"I think you'll be great at it, babe," he told her.

"Thanks," she said, blushing a little. It was nice not to be patronized for voicing her wishes.

"So what are Fez and Kelso up to these days?" he asked.

"Well, Fez is doing beautifully at the hair salon. He comes to visit on holidays, but I guess he's really in demand because we haven't seen him in forever! He came on New Year's and July 4th this year, but every other time we hung out at Brooke's place he said he was booked solid," she stared off into the distance, like she'd just happened upon a clue, "Anyways, Kelso stays home with Betsy right now, but he's been looking into security jobs for when she gets older. Brooke just found out she's pregnant again, though, so he may have to be Daddy Day-Care for a little while longer."

"I'm really glad he's happy," Hyde said, "I owe him big."

"For what?" Jackie asked curiously.

"For saving you," he said quietly.

Jackie bit her lip. She didn't know how much more emotion she could handle today. Her whole body felt drained again. She realized it was nearly dinner time and asked, "Hey, are you hungry?"

"Actually, I am a little," he said.

"How about I see what Amina has cooking?" she said, "She makes the best food. I swear it's a miracle Eric and I don't each weigh 1000 pounds."

She spun herself around and off the bed and headed for the stairs. As she passed Eric's room she heard a faint sound. Raising her hand to the door to knock on it she stopped as she heard, "Oh God, Eric…" Whirling around and suppressing a massive shudder she fairly sprinted back to Steven's room.

"Say, how about I grab us some burgers from the Hub? Or Fatso Burger if you prefer?" she said quickly.

"Whichever is quickest," he said, "You know what I like." He looked around and then said, "Um, do you know where Eric put my wallet?"

Jackie waved him off, "This one's on me."

"Jackie, you have no money, you're a college student!"

"I have some money, Steven," she said, rolling her eyes. "I got paid for a story I did that got picked up by the AP, might as well spend a little on a good friend!" She walked forward and kissed him on the forehead, this time just because she wanted to. "I'll be back in a bit."

He watched her go, wishing with everything he had that he could ride with her. He sat alone for a few minutes, flipping open the book she'd brought up with her earlier "Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation for Non-Experts". It was thick and full of a lot of information Hyde didn't understand. _Why is Jackie interested in bookkeeping fraud?_ He wondered if this was the 'something dangerous' she had hinted at. He kept looking at it until he heard a door open nearby. He saw Eric pass by on his way to the bathroom and figured he might as well see if he could attempt to mend fences with his best friend.

Grabbing his IV pole he made his way to the door to wait for Eric. He heard the toilet flush and Eric sauntered out in his boxers and a T-shirt. He saw Hyde standing there and stopped short. "Hyde, man," he said, "should you be up?"

"I'm fine, Foreman," he said, "You got a minute?"

"Let me check on Amina and grab some pants," he said, "I'll meet you in Laurie's room."

Hyde nodded and returned to wait for Eric. Before too long, he returned and shut the door behind him. "What's up, Hyde?" he asked.

"I just wanted to say thanks, man," he said, holding out his hand, "I know I owe you a million times over for everything you've done for me."

Eric shook his best friend's hand, "Anytime, man. Although, if you could arrange to need me on a weekend I'm not getting engaged that would be super," he said laughing.

"What?" Hyde exclaimed, "You guys are engaged?"

"Yeah," said Eric slowly, "didn't Jackie tell you?"

"No," he said, "she just said you guys had gotten together at New Year's and been a couple ever since."

Eric smiled and shook his head, "She's super protective when it comes to privacy- hers and mine. I think it's a habit that'll have to die a hard death."

Hyde wanted to laugh, but he knew why she'd become that way. It was because of him. If she'd had a secret he knew, he would have exploited it just to burn her in the Sam days. The thought now made him pretty ill. "I get it, Foreman. It's totally understandable."

"How are you feeling?" Eric asked.

"Fine for the moment," Hyde said, "Look, Jackie mentioned a few times that you'd changed a lot in Africa. I was wondering what it was like there, what you had to do while you were there."

Eric considered him for a moment, "Well, I was actually in Swaziland. It's a country inside South Africa. I went there to teach, but I ended up learning how to help with farming, irrigation, hell I even helped build a new schoolhouse!"

Hyde was shocked. Foreman had a hard time with lefty-loosey, righty-tighty last time he'd checked. "Damn, man. That's incredible."

Eric smiled and shook his head, "Actually, that was the easy part. There's some kind of new disease that's sweeping through the continent south of the Sahara. People get sick, like with a cold or the flu and it's like they can't fight it off. People just waste away and die. Families get left to fend for themselves and the number of orphans is skyrocketing."

Hyde's heart contracted painfully at the word 'orphans'. They- all but Eric, in one way or another- had left Jackie to fend for herself as well.

"They keep this incredible outlook, though. ' _Life has to move forward'_. So I tried to learn from them. When there was something that needed to be done, I learned how to do it so I could help. It changed how I saw myself. I wasn't just this geeky nerd who loved Star Wars. I could build and repair things; I'm just slightly faster than a charging hippo; and I _can_ actually put muscle on," he finished with a grin.

Hyde looked at Foreman's flexed bicep and was duly impressed. "Nice going, man. Guess I can't call you 'scrawny' anymore," he paused, "Seems like it changed you more than just on the outside."

"Yeah, I guess it did. I feel like I can trust my instincts now, and I'm definitely less afraid of the future. I don't really have the words for it. I just feel stronger on the inside than I ever did," he said.

"You and Jackie seem pretty close," Hyde said, unable to keep a tinge of jealously out of his voice.

Eric picked up on it and tried to decide how he wanted to answer. "Yeah, we are," he said and looked Hyde dead in the eyes, "and I'm not going to apologize for it. She was the only one besides my mom who wrote to me, who seemed to give a shit about how I was doing. When she wrote to me and told me what you did…" he stopped, trying to remain calm, "Man, what the hell were you thinking?"

This wasn't at all where he'd wanted this conversation to go. "I don't know," he said. Seeing the disgust in Eric's face he continued, "Honest. I really don't know how I got so angry, or why I took it out on her. I'd give anything to go back and change that."

Eric raised his hand to stop him, "You can't change the past, man. She's spent the last year and a half carving out a future that she could be proud of, and she did it all so she could leave the past behind."

Hyde's throat felt tight. "Do you think she should leave me behind too?" He needed an honest answer, and if anyone was going to give him one it was Foreman.

"No," Eric said, "but only because I can see that she's in a better place now. If you manage to get your shit together I think you could deserve her. I think if you don't she's strong enough to let you go without any help from me. But listen, man, she hasn't been with anyone as long as I've been in Evanston. She went on a few dinner dates here and there, but for the most part she's kept her nose to the grindstone. Can you say the same?"

Hyde looked embarrassed. "You know I can't. Crazy Caroline burned my store to the ground the day after I slept with her, and there were a few others but nothing serious."

Eric looked resigned, "Well, you guys will have to cross that bridge if you come to it."

"When we come to it, Foreman," he said, "I'm going to do this."

"I hope so," Eric said, "Really I do! I want you both to be happy."

"Thanks, man," Hyde said, "Listen, what's this project Jackie's working on that's so dangerous?"

Eric shook his head, "Sorry man, can't tell you. She'd rip me to shreds."

"C'mon, Foreman!" he said, angrily, "If she's doing something dangerous I need to know!"

"Nope," Eric persisted, "Nothing doing, man. Right now, you don't. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but you're going to have to earn your place in her life. When you do, she'll tell you herself, and" he continued, "even if I wanted to tell you, I only know the bare details. She told me and Brooke so someone would have an idea of where to look if something went wrong."

"Jesus Christ, Foreman!" he exclaimed, "Is she trying to hunt down the mob? 'Cause that's how you're making it sound!"

"Calm down, Hyde," Eric said, a little alarmed at the state Hyde was working himself into, "Look, all I can tell you is that it involves a lot of missing money, and wherever there's missing money people can get violent. I've tried to dissuade her, but she's like a pitbull when she's investigating something."

Hyde tried to breathe deep. His hands were shaking. "Hyde, man," Eric said, "Jackie isn't a helpless child. She's pretty tough, and I certainly wouldn't underestimate her."

"I know, man," he replied, "I'm just not used to it. Amina told me she tackled Randy and that intruder even though he had a knife on him. I thought I was in the Twilight Zone."

Eric chuckled, "Yeah, she's kind of a badass."

Hyde was calming down. "So, when's the wedding?" he asked. "I'd love to come as long as I'm done with rehab."

Eric smiled, "We haven't set a date, yet. But it'd be hard to have a wedding without my Best Man."

"Really?" Hyde said, "After all this, I'm still your Best Man?"

"Well, and don't take offense, but Jackie was actually supposed to be my Best Woman," Eric said sheepishly, "But Amina doesn't have many friends besides Brooke and Jackie, so I graciously conceded to her."

Hyde laughed, "Graciously conceded? Bullshit. Jackie threatened to pinch you.. or worse, didn't she?"

"You got me!" he cried. "She was really honored that I asked, but she did point out the whole 'family in Bosnia' thing to me."

"This is gonna be an epic wedding, Foreman," he said, "What're the chances Donna will show up?"

"Slim to none, but I'll send an invitation anyway. Hopefully she'll just decline."

Hyde nodded and then heard Jackie from downstairs, "Guys? I brought back the burgers and shakes!"

Eric grinned and then surprised Hyde by leaning in and giving him a hug. "Good luck, man. With everything."

Hyde hugged him back briefly, noticing for the first time that Foreman was probably twice as strong as him now. "Thanks man."

Jackie came in and handed two bags to Eric and gave him a quick hug. "Sorry I took so long, but I ran into Red and Betsy on the way out and took them along, then I grabbed food for Kitty and Brooke too and dropped it at the hospital. Red and Betsy are going to stay there until Kitty's ready to come home."

Eric nodded and headed out, closing the door behind him.

As they unwrapped the burgers, Hyde reached over and took Jackie's hand again. "Thanks for doing all this, babe."

"Anytime, Steven," she said quietly.

He leaned across the bed and kissed her on the forehead, "I'm not going to forget this."

Jackie smiled at the feeling his lips on her skin gave her. As they ate, a feeling she hadn't had in eighteen months spread through her chest. Warming and lifting, she could feel it reach her eyes. _Finally… Hope._


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Manhattan, NYC

July 9th

Mike Miller was reviewing his 6 inch thick file on the Gambinos when his desk phone rang. "Agent Miller," he snapped.

"Agent Miller, the older gentleman from 2 days ago is downstairs again. He says he has to see you."

"Fine, I'll be downstairs shortly," he said and hung up abruptly. Nobody would ever accuse Mike Miller of having an excess of manners.

The elevator doors opened and he spotted the older gentleman sitting in the same leather chair as before. He called out to him, "Mr. Edmonds?", and Parler looked towards him. Agent Miller beckoned him over with a finger. Parler raised a single eyebrow in response. Miller sighed and walked over to him, "What is it, Mr. Edmonds?"

Parler looked up at the agent and decided now was a good time to make his stand. He'd endured enough in the last sixty years. "Agent Miller, I expect you'd like me to acknowledge that you're an important man, a busy man, with an important job to do. And I'm sure all those things are true. But I came down here because yesterday two mob boys hijacked my cab and tried to kill me, and they did that because they were interested in Frank Palermo. So how about you grant me the same level of respect that you're demanding from me?"

Mike Miller was not accustomed to being told off. He bit the inside of his cheek and tried to appear contrite. "Mr. Edmonds, can you identify these men in a photo lineup?" At the very least he could maybe use the info to flip these low level goons on someone higher.

"I could," said Parler evenly, "or you could just call the morgue where they took their bodies."

Miller's jaw dropped open. "Sir? They're dead? How?"

"When I realized they were going to eliminate me I decided to take my chance with the river, just went in a little different from how they wanted. It's all in the police report here, although I told them it was a robbery attempt," Parler explained.

Miller was trying to wrap his head around what the old man was saying. Parler watched the wheels turn in the agent's head. It was too easy for people to fall prey to their own bias, their own assumptions. He'd been the target of them all at one point or another. He let the moment pass and then cleared his throat, "Agent Miller?"

Miller snapped out of his thoughts and regarded the old man with the demeanor of a sports rookie who'd just been schooled by an old-timer. "My apologies, Mr. Edmonds, this is all quite a lot to take in."

"Trust me, son," he said calmly, "it was a lot to experience as well. But if you don't mind, I'd like to ask a favor?"

"Certainly, Mr. Edmonds," said Agent Miller.

"Frank Palermo was a good man. To me at any rate. Treated me with dignity and respect even though we only spent about a day together. I consider him a good friend, and I'd appreciate it if you could use the information I gave you to warn him. Maybe even find him a safe place?" Parler's eyes carried a hint of a plea on the last request. He wasn't sure what kind of authority the G-man carried, but hopefully it was enough to keep his friend out of harm's way.

Mike Miller looked deeply troubled. Parler didn't seem to know about Frank's passing. He looked at the man and heard his old boss and mentor's words come back to him- _The worst day on this job isn't the day you take a life, it's the day you tell someone a life they value has been taken._ He steeled himself and cleared his throat, "Mr. Edmonds, I'm so sorry to have to tell you this. Frank Palermo was found murdered in an alleyway in Brooklyn. The day you dropped off that envelope I called a friend of mine at the 83rd and he filled me in. The men who did it were mob guys, we got them on video. I believe the Captain at the 83rd is in possession of the arrest warrants for all three men as we speak."

Parler looked sadly at Agent Miller, "I appreciate you letting me know, Agent Miller. If you need anything else from me, please don't hesitate to call me. You can reach me at Moonlight Cab Company, assuming I still have a job after the 'robbery'. If not, there's only one Parler Edmonds in the phone book." He stood and held his hand out to the G-man.

"I'll do that, sir," he said, realizing how much he really did owe this brave gentleman, "Feel free to contact me or Detective Andrews at the 83rd if anyone tries to bother you. I'll get in touch with Harbor Patrol to get a rundown of the guys who attacked you. Again, sir, I'm very sorry about Frank."

They shook hands and Parler set off on his way home. He caught the subway back to his apartment and looked around. He'd gotten a matchbook from Sparks when he was there and kept it untouched on his bedside table. He picked it up and flipped it over, memories from those 12 hours running through his head. The mob guys in this town were absolutely out of control. They had no respect for life. He'd been through the fires of hell in World War II, then went back again in Korea. He'd gotten his retirement in 1961 from the Navy, thankful that no more death was in his immediate future. Still, he'd come away from the crucibles of war with a deep respect for life, and its fleeting nature. That these "men" could so callously, even joyously, take a life they had no right to… well, Parler felt like maybe there was one more mission left in his old bones.

"Frank, wherever you are, fair winds and following seas buddy." Parler said to the ceiling. He had a plan coming to form in his mind. He'd dropped off the cash at his bank earlier. He would pay off the rest of his mortgage and take the vacation time he was owed. That would give him time to plan this, because for it to work, a plan with many contingencies would be an absolute necessity.

* * *

Minneapolis

July 9th

Ben McCormack knocked on the door of the safe house in Uptown Minneapolis. He and Ava had agreed on the knock pattern yesterday when he'd first brought her here. He saw the curtain flutter briefly at the side window and smiled to himself. _Smart girl, always check._ Ava opened the door slowly and kept her profile hidden behind the door as she let Ben in. He had brought coffee and pastries with him, along with the copies of the Seattle Times and the Post-Intelligencer and the course catalog for the University of Washington.

He balanced everything nicely and laid it out on the small breakfast table. Ava sat down across from him, wearing a pair of flannel pajamas and her long red hair loose and flowing. He quelled an uneasy desire and tried for a friendly smile. When she smiled back, he felt his own heart dance a bit. _Enough, Ben. She's your witness, not a fling._

Ava, for her own part, was trying hard to look appealing in an "I'm not trying too hard to look appealing" way. She followed Ben into the kitchen, noticing that his back and shoulders were shaped like a swimmer's. _Like Mark Spitz, but without the creepy mustache. DAMMIT! Get a grip, Ava!_

They sat down at the table and she took one of the coffees from the drink holder. "Thanks so much for bringing breakfast," she said, "I haven't had time to get groceries yet."

Ben smiled at her, "No problem, Ava. I have some good news, though. It looks like you'll be able to leave in a little less than two weeks. So, I came by today to let you know that you have about 4 hours to pick a few of these apartments to look at. I need to send your list to the marshal in Seattle and have him vet them."

Ava looked alarmed, "Wow! That's… that's really soon."

She looked so uneasy that Ben reached out to comfort her. He put his hand over hers and they both felt a spark go through each of them. He pulled his hand back and cleared his throat, "I know, Ava. But I have more good news for you! I went through the financials your father sent to me. If you follow the budget he laid out, you have more than enough to be able to go to school and not work while you do it. He was very smart with his investments. Once the investigation in NYC is closed, I can have your house in Point Place put on the market as well. Your father owned it outright, so any proceeds can be added to your accounts."

Ava felt a little sick at the thought of New York. She nodded, though, and looked at the course catalog, "I don't even know what to do, though. For school, I mean. I wasn't exactly shattering the glass ceiling at community college." Her tone was half frightened and half-bitter at the thought of that wasted year.

"That's okay," he said soothingly, "You can start in the fall taking a few general classes. Stretch your wings, find out what you love. There won't be any distractions there, I promise."

"None?" she said, looking at him again.

"Well, there is Pike Place Market, and the Space Needle, and plenty of outdoors activities if that's-" he stopped short noticing the look in her eyes. She was looking at him like he was the only light in the room. His words seemed to catch in his throat. He watched her bite her lower lip and a wild rush of desire came over him.

She stood up and walked towards him. Something about him was magnetic. She felt like she was being pulled to him. She sank onto his lap and leaned her face down close to his. The small grey strands at his temples looked almost blonde in the sunlight from the kitchen window. He smelled delicious to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately on the mouth. His hands came to her waist, almost hesitantly, but as she parted his lips with hers and let her tongue enter his mouth they wrapped fully around her back, pressing her into him. They stayed in that position for a moment, she on his lap, feverishly kissing one another until he stood up abruptly.

"Ava, no," he said softly, detaching himself from her but still looking at her, "this shouldn't happen. I'm responsible for your safety. I need to keep this professional."

Ava wasn't up for rejection today. She unbuttoned her pajama top and let it fall to the floor. Ben drew a ragged breath as she took his hands and placed them around her waist. "I'm 21, Ben, and I want you. You don't have to fall in love with me, or pretend to, but if you want me too then please don't lie to me. That's all I ask." With that she kissed him again. He was tall, taller than Randy had been, and he bent slightly towards her in the kiss. Her naked breasts touched his shirt and the desire that had been pent up inside him exploded. He lifted her off the floor and carried her to the bedroom, laying her gently atop it.

He lowered himself on top of her, and placed gently kisses from her lips to her breasts. He stopped and looked at her in the eyes, "Ava, are you sure?" She nodded wordlessly and he took her breast in his mouth, gently teasing her nipples until they were hard. He slid her bottoms down and was about to explore her inner regions when he felt her tug on his hair. He slid his body up to her face and she pulled him into another steamy kiss. Before he knew it, she had flipped him over and was straddling him, her body backlit by the sunshine streaming in.

Her hands undid his belt buckle and he sat up as she removed his button-down and undershirt. Laying back, he watched as she lowered her mouth to his cock. Gently teasing the tip with her tongue, he closed his eyes at the sensation and felt the warm wetness of her mouth all around his shaft. "Oh fuck…" he moaned. He gently stroked her head as she worked her mouth up and down his cock. He grew so hard he thought he'd come in her mouth. Just when he thought he was going over the edge, she stopped and lowered her body onto his.

She let out a moan of ecstasy. Ben was perfect. His cock was just right for her. She leaned forward, ready to begin riding him, when he gently pushed her up again. Placing his hands on her hips he angled his own and said, "Lean back, Ava. Trust me." She did as he said and he began to rock them both without bouncing them. The sensation was new to her, and she loved it. It was bringing her to orgasm in seconds. "Oh, God! Ben! Fuck!" she cried, as she released on his shaft.

The gush of warm wetness nearly brought Ben to come again, but he held on. He didn't want this to stop. He turned her over and asked her, "How do you want it now?"

Ava paused and said, "I want to see your face." It was true, she did. His face was beautiful to her. He nodded and entered her with force, trying to gauge how hard she wanted it. Her face twisted in delight and he continued, driving into her while trying to pull her closer into him. She wrapped her long legs around him and then realized she was going to come too quickly. Before she could put her legs back down he said, "Ava, fuck that feels so good!" and she didn't care anymore. He was going to climax and she was making it happen. As he pounded into her harder and harder, she let her orgasm come. Feeling the rush of wetness, Ben let go as well, emptying himself into her. He shuddered as his muscles clenched from the sensation, and he kissed her gently on the mouth. Pulling out of her, he rolled over to the side and lay next to her. Ava looked at him and smiled, "Thank you."

"Ava," he said softly, brushing her face with his fingers, "you are so beautiful." He sighed. "But I should never have done that. I meant it when I said I am responsible for your safety."

"Ben," she replied, "I don't want you to feel guilty, like you took advantage of some emotionally crippled young thing. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm missing my parents like crazy right now, but that wasn't why I wanted to do this. I just really wanted you," and she leaned in and kissed him again.

He wrapped his arms around her and drew her in, letting himself enjoy the moment. "You know I won't be able to do this all day," he said, grinning, "I'm going to have to get back to the office soon, and I'd like to help you put as much of a plan together as we can before you leave."

Ava rolled off him and sighed, "Very well," she said in a dramatic voice, "but first, maybe we could try a little something I had planned…" and she reached down and began to stroke him again. He groaned and closed his eyes, deeply thankful that he'd remembered to lock the doors behind him.

* * *

Point Place Hospital

July 9th

Kelso sat up impatiently. He was tired of the damn hospital. He wanted to go home to Chicago, to his comfortable bed, his warm shower and his daughter and fiancée. He smiled at the thought of Brooke. She'd thought he was speaking offhand about getting married, in the context of "someday" rather than how he'd explained it to her this morning.

" _So, babe," he said, "what date are you thinking of for the wedding?"_

" _What?" she stammered, "I thought you were just saying that you wanted to get married! I didn't realize you meant, like, now!"_

" _Calm down, sweetie," he said, "it can be whenever you want, today, tomorrow, next year after Peanut shows up… The point is that I was absolutely serious. I want you and me to be a family. And also, I really want that trampoline" he finished, grinning._

" _Oh, Michael," she said quietly, "that's so sweet. I haven't really thought about it, though. I guess if I had a first choice it'd be in September. The weather is always so nice by the lake, and all I really wanted was a pretty dress and some good food and our friends."_

" _Then that's what we'll do, babe," he said easily, "Think you can find a dress by Labor Day weekend?"_

 _Brooke smiled happily, "Yeah, I can do that. Hell, if I can't I can just turn Jackie loose in Macy's!"_

 _Both of them laughed and then stopped short. Turning Jackie loose in Macy's was a terrible idea…_

Kitty came skipping in to his room, breaking him out of his reverie. "Michael, honey!" she cried, "It's so good to see you sitting up!" She came over and laid a kiss on his forehead, "I just spoke to Dr. Cloak, and he said that as long as you promise to check in with your doctor in Chicago he'll sign off on your discharge. He feels confident in your progress and I know how much you want to get out of here!"

"Aw, Mrs. F, that's great!" Kelso said, hugging his surrogate mom, "Man, this week started off so bad- gettin' shot, and having to find Hyde all messed up- but now I'm getting married and going home!"

Kitty clapped and smiled with him. His enthusiasm was always infectious. "I've already called Red. He's got Betsy all taken care of, and I saw Brooke in the hallway- she's going to go back to the house and get your things together. She wants to come pick you up, take you back to our house to say goodbye to everybody and then you guys can leave tonight after dinner!"

"Best. Day. Ever." Kelso said, "Um, Mrs. Foreman?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Have you seen my pants?"

* * *

Foreman Residence

Jackie woke up much the way she had the day before, her right leg curled atop Steven and her head buried in the space between his shoulder and his chest. She tried to slide off the bed quietly, hoping she could let him get just a bit more sleep. Plus, she really needed to finish her papers and read some more of her "project" book. She felt like she was on the brink of a breakthrough and she didn't want to lose ground. Her feet touched the floor lightly and she made for the door as quickly as she could.

"You might not weigh much, doll, but I can always feel it when you leave." The voice caused her to halt in her tracks. She hung her head and raised her hands in mock surrender, "Ok, you got me, Steven," she said, with a smile on her lips, "I just wanted to let you get as much sleep as you-"

Her words were cut off as she turned around and found him standing right behind her. He bent forward and kissed her softly on the lips, his hands resting on either side of her face. "I'll get plenty of sleep in.. Where is it I'm going?" he asked, suddenly realizing he had no idea where he was off to in two days.

"Austin," she said, her eyes still closed from the kiss. "Austin, Texas."

"Live music capital of the world," Steven said, hoping to lift his own spirits a little. The idea of being stuck in Texas while she was in Chicago left him feeling anxious.

Jackie smiled and took his hand, leading him to the stairs. "Kitty left a message last night that Amina could remove your IV since you haven't been experiencing any more 'seizures'. Want to go downstairs and find your personal nurse?"

"God, yes," he said. He'd been prepared to rip the damn thing out himself last night.

Jackie nodded and had him hold on to her going down the stairs. He felt foolish, but she wisely pointed out that even if his muscles weren't seizing they probably weren't up to much more. Her heart beat out a frantically happy rhythm as he slipped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. God, how she'd missed his kisses!

At the bottom of the stairs she directed him to the couch and went in search of Amina. She found her sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper with a frustrated expression.

"Amina?" Jackie said hesitantly. She'd never seen the sweet face marred by any expression close to anger.

"Lije!" she replied, her brows unfurrowing and a radiant smile breaking out across her face, "I thought you would never come out of that room!" she finished with a sly grin.

Jackie winked at her, "Girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do," she said, "Speaking of which, would you take Steven's IV out? It was driving him nuts last night. I could feel his arm muscles tensing trying not to rip it out."

Amina nodded, "Robert that!" she said and saluted.

Jackie had a moment of confusion before she giggled and said, "Roger, Amina. Roger that."

"Who is Roger?" she asked.

"It's… Nevermind," she said, reminded irresistibly of Fez.

Amina smiled and headed back into the living room. She retrieved a small black medical bag from next to Red's chair and sat down next to Hyde. "Good morning, Steven!" she said brightly, "Lije says you would like this taken out?"

"I would appreciate that very much," he said, a bit taken aback by the cheerful bedside manner. Amina reached in the bag and withdrew a roll of athletic tape and gauze, along with a blood pressure cuff. She deftly removed the needle from Hyde's hand and taped the gauze over it. She had him lie flat for 5 minutes and took a blood pressure reading, then she had him stand for a 2 minutes and took another. She nodded in satisfaction and looked at him, "All numbers are good, Steven," she said, "but Mrs. Foreman said to make sure you drink water all day today."

Steven reached over and hugged her, "Thanks for taking care of me, Amina. I owe you big." Jackie's eyes were as wide as hubcaps. She made a mental note to remind Steven of his statement in case he ever reverted back to Hyde the Jackass.

Amina squeezed him tightly and said, "Well, I made burek for breakfast if you are hungry. If your stomach is sour, there is fruit and cheese also." She smiled at them both and went to wake up Eric. They had been up very late the night before, and he'd given himself quite a workout.

Hyde turned to Jackie, "What's burek?" he whispered, not wanting to offend the cook.

"It's delicious is what it is, but if your stomach is at all sensitive from the burger and fries last night, I'd stick to fruit and cheese. Burek is sautéed meat and onions and stuff all rolled in this delicious bread and baked up. Amina made it for me and Eric last month and we ended up spending all morning on the couch in a food coma," Jackie said, her eyes glazing over.

"Sounds enticing, but I think I'll pass," Hyde said, "Guess I'm going to have to get used to exotic food whenever I visit Chicago."

Jackie led him into the kitchen, squeezing his hand gently as he mentioned visiting them. The hope that had filled her the previous night was still miraculously there and she had no desire to let it go. She poured herself a giant cup of coffee and made two plates for breakfast. Hyde ate sparingly, his stomach still tender from the Fatso Burger. He reached for Jackie's coffee and she slapped his hand away. "No way, pal," she said, "Kitty was adamant. Water only today."

Hyde grimaced, he wasn't sure how pleasant he'd be in a few hours without caffeine. "How about we go out onto the porch?" he offered, "Shame to waste such a beautiful morning inside."

Jackie smiled and cleared the table, "Love to," she said, moving to the sliding door and unlocking it. Hyde stood up and headed for the door. His leg muscles gave out suddenly and he stumbled violently toward the glass door. Without hesitation, Jackie dropped her mug and extended her arms out to catch his falling body. Absorbing his weight into herself, she fell backward and her head hit the glass with a loud crack. Hyde heard her sharp intake of breath and then felt them both fall to the floor. She'd hugged him close to her and his head had landed fully on her stomach. Scrambling to get his weight off her, he looked down and gently lifted her head off the floor. Her eyes were closed. It looked like she'd been knocked out from the fall.

"Jackie?!" he said, leaning his face close to hers. He moved his hand from behind her head to tap her cheek and he saw that it was bright red with blood. "JACKIE!" he screamed, his head spinning. He heard the swinging door bang open on its hinges and Eric raced into the kitchen.

"Amina!" he called, gingerly lifting Jackie's right side off the floor. Jackie's eyes opened and she winced as she felt the back of her head. Seeing bright red blood on her hand she closed her eyes and muttered, "Fucking fantastic…"

Amina came running in, her ponytail askew and her cheeks flushed. "Eric? What is it?" she asked.

Hyde found his voice, "I fell when we were headed to the patio. Jackie caught me and I think she hit her head on the door frame. There's blood…" he trailed off. Jackie was looking at him with concern in her eyes. "Baby, your legs gave out. Are you okay?" she asked.

"Jackie," he snapped, "I'm not the one we should be worried about right now!"

"Okay, everybody calm down," Eric said placatingly, "Jackie, maybe we should let Amina take a look? Just to make sure you don't need stitches." Jackie knew he was right, but she didn't want people to fuss over her. _Better let her patch you up, or they'll make you go to the hospital._ Jackie gave a thumbs up as nodding was likely to make her aching head explode.

Amina gently parted Jackie's hair and used a small penlight to examine her scalp. "Just a small cut, Lije," she said, "Just a towel and some ice, I think. And maybe some aspirin?"

"Please," said Jackie gratefully. Amina handed her an icepack and a towel, and went to find some painkillers. Jackie walked carefully to the patio and sank into the tattered plastic chair. Hyde followed and motioned for her to sit in the wider, more comfortable chair opposite her. "I'm fine, baby," she said soothingly, "I just need to sit for a second."

Rolling his eyes, he scooted the chair next to her and sat down in it. Reaching over, he grabbed her hand and tugged on it until she crawled onto his lap. As she sat down her legs automatically curled up and over his, her head drooping down to rest on his shoulder and she felt his left arm drape loosely around her back and rest on her left thigh while his right arm completed the circle in front of her. It was like their bodies stored the muscle memory of this intimate position until they could use it again.

"Jacks?" he asked quietly.

"Hmmm?" she replied.

"You should've just let me fall, babe," he said, "I know I'm not as strong as I was, but I'm not made of glass. Next time, just let me fall." He felt her breathe in and out in a slow controlled manner. The kind of deep breathing when you're either trying to calm down or not vomit. He wasn't sure which he'd rather it be.

"No," she said, "I might get a little banged up on the way down, but I'm never going to just let you fall." Her arm was tired of holding the ice pack to her head, so she let it drop to the ground. Hyde cradled her tightly in his arms and used his foot to nudge the ice pack over in front of him. Gripping her as tightly as he could, he leaned forward and snagged the ice pack from the ground. Leaning back and letting her settle her head again, he placed the ice pack on her temple. He knew from experience that a solid whack to the back of the head would soon migrate around to the front.

He felt her body relax a little and her eyes lost their pinched-shut look. Turning his head slightly, he planted a sweet kiss on her forehead and said clearly, "I love you, Jackie."

"Love you too, baby," she said, the balloon of hope in the center of her chest expanding again.

* * *

On the other side of the hedge, in the yard of the former Pinciotti family, a perfectly manicured hand clenched the branches tightly, threatening to snap them from their bough. _Not this time, Jackie. You got in my way last time, but I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen again._

In a whirl of legs and temper, she turned and made for her sanctuary. She didn't have long to make her plan and execute it, but she was smart enough to make up for the rushed schedule. Jacqueline Burkhardt was going to pay. _Don't get mad. Get even._


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

July 9th

Foreman Residence

Everyone was waiting in the driveway as Michael and Brooke pulled up. Jackie and Hyde were standing next to each other, his arm slung around her shoulders. Amina was holding Betsy, waving to the car and straining to keep hold of the struggling toddler, while Eric smiled down at them. Red and Fez were smiling, hands in their pockets, both looking uncharacteristically relaxed given how close their proximity to each other was. Even WB and Angie were there, both looking quite relieved that the search for their loved one hadn't ended up with a funeral for Kelso.

"Hang on, babe," Kelso said as Brooke put the car in park, "I just want to look at this for a second." He gazed out the windshield at all the people who had become his family, who'd moved heaven and earth to care for him and his wife and daughter. In that moment he felt luckier than any man alive.

Brooke smiled and patted his hand, "Come on, sweetie," she said, "Betsy's missed you so much, and Amina and Kitty have cooked a feast for all of us." She rolled her eyes at the thought of the amount of food that must have been prepared today.

Kelso stepped out of the car just as Amina set Betsy on the ground. The chubby-cheeked toddler ran as fast as her little legs would carry her straight for her dad. Kelso made to bend over to pick her up, but the searing pain in his chest and back stopped him. Red deftly stepped in between and picked the running munchkin up and delivered her to her dad. Hugging his daughter tightly to him, Kelso had a brief moment of pure happiness that seemed to dull all the pain.

"Luh you, daddy," Betsy said into his neck.

"Love you, too, baby girl," he said back.

Eric saw Amina wipe a small tear away from her eye, and he hugged her close. "I know you miss him," he said, "I promise we'll get your family here soon." Amina nodded, her head buried in Eric's chest.

Meanwhile, everyone waited for Kelso to make his way over before the hand wringing and hugging got underway. Betsy couldn't be persuaded to let go of her dad, so he was forced to half-hug and smile as Jackie, Eric and Red all thanked him profusely.

"Okay, okay," called Kitty, "We've got tons of food inside. Michael, dear, I made all your favorites- fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and cheese puffs- and Amina made three different desserts! Oh, and I put together a few casseroles for you two to take home so you don't have to worry about that for a few days."

Red motioned for everyone to come inside and eat, and they all started to file in. As he made for the doorway, Hyde said, "Hey, Kelso, can I talk to you for a sec?" He was leaning on the tailgate of the El Camino, and looked a little uncomfortable.

"Absolutely, man," said Kelso, "Jackie, can you take Betsy inside?"

Jackie smiled and held her hands out to Betsy. The little girl shook her curls violently and clung to his neck. "Betsy, I just need to talk to Uncle Hyde for a second," he said softly, "then I'll come inside and we can sit together, okay?" She seemed to consider this for a second and then finally allowed Jackie to take her inside. Kelso turned back to Hyde and said, "So what's up, man?"

"Look, you know I'm bad at this, but I just needed to say thank you," he said, pausing, "for coming to find me, for saving Jackie and Eric… for all of it, man." He held out his hand, but Kelso didn't take it. Instead he looked at him and said, "You're part of my family, Hyde. There's almost nothing I wouldn't do for you." Then his face grew somber and in a more serious tone he continued, "I'm sorry we left you here to deal with everything. Me, Jackie, Eric. I mean, we all had our reasons for leaving, but it wasn't until I saw Eric hauling you out of the back of your car that I realized how much shit must've gone down to hit you that hard. Jackie and Eric had their reasons for staying away, but I should've had your back when things went south. So, next time things get bad, call me. I won't leave you hanging."

Hyde hadn't fully appreciated how much Kelso had changed until that moment. Here he was mumbling out a feeble thank you to the man who'd taken a bullet for two of the people he loved most in the world, and Kelso was humbly accepting not just the gratitude, but offering his own apology in return. Both men smiled and gave each other a clap on the shoulder.

"Come on," said Kelso, "I've been dying for more of Amina's cooking. That hospital food sucks."

They headed inside, where the sounds of laughter and love were strong and clear.

Many hours later, after dessert and coffee and a few tears from Kitty, the Kelso family piled into their Buick and made for Chicago. As Betsy dozed quietly in the backseat, her arm clutching her new bear from Grandpa Red in a stranglehold, Kelso leaned over and put his head on Brooke's shoulder. "Hey, babe?" he said, "Have you thought of any names yet? For the new Peanut?"

Brooke looked down at him and smiled, "A few, but nothing set in stone. Why? Did you have some in mind?"

"Well, not exactly," he said, "it's just that when I first got here to look for Hyde I called my parents to give them the good news. My mom said 'I thought you guys already had a baby!' and my dad said 'Okay.' Babe, they've never given a crap about us or Betsy. I just don't want Peanut to have to share a name with my brothers or my parents."

"That sounds fair," she said, "So, what names does that eliminate?"

"Casey, Donald, Ronald, Marcus, Arthur, Melissa, Eugene and Delphina," he rattled off.

"Eugene and Delphina?" she said incredulously.

"My parent's names. Look, let's just be thankful I was named by the hospital janitor," he said, snorting with laughter, "My family has some pretty awful names in it, and they're even more awful when it comes to nicknames."

Brooke looked at him questioningly and he answered her, "Okay, so my mom's name is Delphina, which is apparently too 'hoity-toity' for my dad, so he decides to give her a nickname a few months after they were married. Does he go for 'Delphi' or 'Phina'? Nope. He calls her Delly."

"Deli?" said Brooke, trying valiantly not to burst out laughing, "Like where you buy sandwiches?"

"Yeah, apparently that didn't occur to him until years later. So we'd be in the grocery store, or at the mall, and there's my dad screaming across the food court ' _Hey Deli! Over here Deli!'_. I swear people thought the whole bunch of us were insane…"

Brooke choked back tears of laughter as she asked, "And what was your mom's nickname for your dad?"

Kelso rolled his eyes, "Well, she couldn't have gone with 'Gene' since that's way too obvious. So, since I was little, she's called him 'Yuge'."

Brooke couldn't take it, she burst out laughing and tears rolled down her cheeks as she gasped for breath. She finally quieted herself as she heard Betsy stirring. Glancing in the rear view mirror she saw her daughter's big blue eyes staring back at her. "I'm sorry sweetie, did Mommy wake you up?" she asked.

"Yes," Betsy said grumpily, "an' my bear too!"

"Oh, your new bear from Grandpa Red!" Michael said, trying to appease the tiny tyrant, "Did you name him yet?" Betsy nodded her head and hugged the bear closer.

"Well? What's his name?" Kelso prompted.

"Dumbass," chirped the sweet voice.

"What did she say?" asked Brooke.

"Douglas!" Kelso said quickly, "She named the bear Douglas!"

"Oh! Whew!" said Brooke, giggling again, "For a second there I thought my two-year-old said- "

"DUMBASS!" yelled Betsy from the backseat. Two seconds of incredibly loud silence followed her correction, and then Brooke and Kelso both erupted into laughter. From Kenosha to the Illinois State line, the car rang with laughter. Michael allowed himself the thought that maybe the worst was behind everyone now. Maybe now they could all get on with the business of enjoying life…

* * *

July 10th

Minneapolis

Ava stretched her arms above her head and tried to enjoy the feeling of all her muscles unknotting after her morning workout. Ben rolled over next to her and let his arm fall loosely across her naked body. He had spent the night after she'd done a good impression of lonely and scared, and now she was trying to figure out how she might stretch this out for a few more days. He was incredible in bed, and having company was far more preferable to 'alone time' right now. She smiled, letting various machinations and schemes run through her head. Maybe a little guilt trip over her parents…

Ben cleared his throat and she turned her head towards him. "I have to go into the office, Ava," he said, "but if you like, I'll stop by after work again." He could feel his heart beating wildly somewhere near his throat. He was forty going on sixteen, a grown man with a high-school crush. She was just so beautiful, though.

She nodded and gazed intently into his eyes. Her mother had always done that right before she got her father to agree to something she wanted. "I really would like that," she said, "I guess I'll spend today finding an apartment and looking at college classes."

Ben smiled, "You should also take a look at the financial portfolio I left for you. I can help you get things set up, but you'll need to understand the details as you'll be in charge of it soon. You'll need to do all the boring adult things, like set up a budget, get a new bank account, set up your utilities. I know the excitement of starting over can be heady, but being on your own will mean a lot of responsibility you haven't had to shoulder."

Ava had a difficult time not rolling her eyes. She managed to just smile and nod, but she was tired of the lecture already. She didn't need Ben to treat her like a child. "I promise I'll get to work on all this today."

Ben seemed mollified and got up from the bed. He went to the bathroom and started the shower. As he cleaned himself off he thought about the 21 year-old woman he'd started falling for. She was beautiful, confident, and sexual. He'd had a few relationships over the years, but none had gripped him like the last few days with Ava. He wondered briefly, if there was a chance to continue things in Seattle, but he angrily pushed the thought out of his mind. He could allow himself this one indulgence while she was here, but her safety had to take priority after this. He definitely needed to get to the office. His mind was taking him places he had no business going.

Ava toyed with the notion of shower sex before she remembered she had a to-do list to get to. She was hungry too, and unless groceries had materialized in the refrigerator overnight she had nothing to cook. She pulled out some comfortable jeans and a t-shirt from her suitcase and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She heard the shower turn off and waited for Ben to emerge. When he came out with a towel wrapped around his waist she didn't bother looking away.

"Hey handsome," she said with a smile, "I know you have to go to work, but could you drop me off at a grocery store first? I don't have a thing in the refrigerator or pantry."

Her words hit Ben's ear strangely. Not badly, more like he'd been waiting to hear those words for a long time. _I love her. How is this possible?_ "No problem," he said, trying to keep his voice and expression neutral, "There's a grocery store nearby and you can catch the #2 bus that'll drop you right back here. I have some cash from your dad's account for you. Should be enough for a month or so, but I don't recommend carrying it all on you."

She nodded walked over to him slowly. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him deeply. He responded in kind, and his body began to want more. Extracting himself from her embrace, he picked his clothes up off the bed and said, "Just let me get dressed and I'll drop you off on my way." He gave her a quick peck on the lips and went back to the bathroom.

Ava smiled. She had Ben wrapped around her finger already. It felt good to know she still had it in her to spin a web and bring a man in. A small tinge of guilt sparked in her mind. She wasn't sure how she felt about Ben, only that she knew she felt good when she could get him to do what she wanted. She thought about Eric, how the shift in that power dynamic had spelled doom for their relationship. Maybe she would do things different this time. Maybe she would try something new….

* * *

July 10th

Foreman Residence

"Steven!" Jackie cried in exasperation. He'd been wearing a hole in the carpet for the last hour, pacing back and forth. "Baby, you're going to a clinic not jail. Would you pleeeeaase calm down?"

"Sorry, doll," he said, trying to sit down on the edge of the bed and immediately getting back up again. "I'm just really nervous about tomorrow. I hate flying and I haven't had a drink or a circle in about a week. I don't know how to unwind."

"I'm not having sex with you," she said, without looking up from her book. "So don't even go there."

"I wasn't!" he exclaimed indignantly.

She raised an eyebrow at him and turned a page.

"But if you change your mind…" he said, and she threw a pillow at him. "Kidding! I'm just kidding. Look, do you want to go for a walk? I'm getting a little stir-crazy."

Jackie sighed and put her book down. She wasn't going to make any progress on it until she got Steven on the plane tomorrow morning anyway. "Okay, but we're taking the cane Red has in the closet. I think one concussion is enough for me." Her head had continued aching all day yesterday, and Kitty would force her into the hospital if she got another one.

Hyde grimaced but acquiesced to her demand. He felt exceedingly guilty about being the one who had hurt her, and his feelings were not assuaged in the least by Eric. He hadn't let Hyde forget that just because they were good, it didn't mean he thought Hyde was good for Jackie. The worst was that a not-so-small part of Hyde agreed with him. Every time he got close to her he seemed to do more harm than good. Trying to rid his mind of the intrusive thoughts, he slipped his arms around his girl while she stood at the mirror, pulling her long hair up into a ponytail. He kissed her neck and tried to breathe in a lungful of her scent. He hoped the smell of night-blooming jasmine would be there forever.

Jackie closed her eyes and let her hair fall down as Steven kissed her neck. Heat and sparks seemed to flow through her entire body. In fact, she was fairly sure that if she touched metal right now she could blow the entire fuse panel in the house. She let herself enjoy the sensation, but kept a firm grip on her resolve. _No sex until after rehab._ _Let him get better._ She reached back and touched his face with her hand. She felt his hands move up from her waist and reach under her shirt. She turned quickly, smiling at him, and said, "Not today, cowboy," and ducked under his arm back into the bedroom.

Hyde closed his eyes and tried to think of that time he saw Bob climbing out of the hot tub. "Jackie," he said, through gritted teeth, "you're seriously driving me crazy." She was bent over tying her shoe and the sight of her butt in shorts was definitely not going to be alleviated by hot-tub-Bob.

She stood up and looked at him with a serious expression on her face. "Steven, you need to be straight with me. Right now. If I have sex with you will you still go to Austin tomorrow? Answer me honestly, a lot depends on it."

Hyde wanted so badly to say yes. So very badly. But he could never lie to her, it just wasn't something he could do. So he shook his head slowly and pinched the bridge of his nose. The frustration welling up inside him wasn't just sexual. It felt like she was punishing him for his mistakes. _How long is this going to go on? Am I going to be apologizing for the rest of my life?_ When he looked up his eyes betrayed him. He'd forgotten he hadn't had his glasses on, hadn't had them for a week.

Jackie saw the anger in the beautiful blue pools and had a fraction of a second to decide what was more important. She went with her instinct and walked over to him, leaning up on her tiptoes to kiss him and pull him into a deep hug. "I know this looks like I'm just trying to punish you for the past, baby, but I promise I'm not. I just know that if you'd come to me that New Year's Eve and made love to me, I'd have stayed even if you didn't ask me to. I'd have stayed and missed my chance to get better. I won't do that to you."

He felt his anger ebb away, with a heavy sadness replacing it. Her words were too true. He contented himself with burying his face in her neck and squeezing her tightly. She pulled her face back and kissed him lightly on the lips again. "Come on," he said, "let's see if I can make it down the block without killing us both."

She grinned and followed him out into the sunshine. Worry and fear were creeping back in to her mind. She was glad her resolve had held, but the tiniest bit of anger had come back as well. She was still mad about how he'd treated her, and that scared her. She was also worried at her relief this morning when she realized she'd be able to get some work done while he was in Austin. She supposed it was a product of the anxiety at the disruption to her new life. _Love is messy, Burkhardt. You can't have an omelet without breaking some eggs._

* * *

July 10th, evening

Foreman house

Kitty wanted to give Steven a big send-off that night, but Red had wisely reminded her that they had just had a party the night before. She busied herself making meatloaf and mashed potatoes and apple pie instead, occasionally shooting dirty looks at her husband across the kitchen. WB had sent Angie back to Milwaukee that morning to make sure all the arrangements were in place. He was going to ride with Steven and Jackie to the airport in the morning and then Jackie would drop him off before heading back to Evanston.

As he sat on the Foreman's couch, flipping through the channels for the hundredth time he chanced a glance at his son and Jackie. She was sitting on his lap, in what he knew was Red's favorite chair, and reading a rather large book about accounting practices. He watched as Steven would look at the TV, then look at her, then back at the TV. He grinned to himself. He'd had a hard time keeping his eyes, and hands, off of Louise. He'd been right about Jackie from the start. She was going to be the one to pull his son out of the darkness. All Steven had to do was get through his treatment.

"Well," he said, clearing his throat, "that's a pretty expansive book there, Jackie. Is it for one of your classes?"

Jackie looked up and smiled at WB. He'd been so good to her that she couldn't get annoyed at him. "Nah, just some background information for my latest project," she said.

"Well, if it's half as good as the piece in the Tribune I'm framing it," he said, "You know that Cook County D.A.'s office is filing charges against the company's CEO and the local HR manager?"

"No, I didn't!" she said, touched at how much WB had followed the story. "That's good, though, they need to at least feel the heat for what they did."

"Hold up," Hyde said, "Jackie, your story was in the Chicago Tribune?"

As Jackie nodded sheepishly, WB said, "Not just there. The Associated Press picked it up and it's been in several major newspapers. The company she outed has offices other cities and the fallout was pretty extensive. They were a public relations firm that had a national PR scandal. Most of their clients have left and any universities who had contracts with them have cancelled them."

Hyde stared at her, "Jacks, why didn't you tell me? That's a pretty badass thing to keep quiet about!" All she'd said was that she'd been paid for a story she did. How had the shrill-voiced cheerleader become an intrepid crime reporter?

Jackie kissed him on the forehead and shrugged, "I guess it was kind of secondary to making sure I got justice for Amina. Don't get me wrong, I'm stoked that those guys are going to pay, especially that HR guy. He was creepy in a very rape-y kind of way. He was always trying to touch me or paw at me when I was there. I'm just glad he's going to pay for what he did to Amina."

All Hyde could do was try and focus on the ringing in his ears and the color of red clouding his vision. His whole body felt like it was on fire. How dare some creepy suit manhandle Jackie! He clenched one hand around the armrest of the chair and concentrated on slow, deep breathing.

"Steven?" she said, "You okay?"

"No. I'm not," he said tersely, "How did you expect me to feel? I thought you were smarter than to get yourself involved in dangerous situations like that. You should think about investigating stories that don't involve you being manhandled by douchebags in suits."

WB was out of his seat so fast it looked like he sat on a hedgehog. "I'm just going to check on dinner," he said quickly, nearly sprinting out of the room.

Steven looked confused for a second, and then realized that Jackie was no longer sitting on his lap. She was standing in front of him, her arms crossed, and she looked furious.

"I'm sorry, but WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?" she bellowed. Hyde heard a dish drop into the sink in the next room. "Did you seriously just tell me that I should make sure to only report or investigate stuff that won't mess up my pretty face?"

If ever there was a moment where Hyde wished he could go back and rewind time for just a few minutes, this was it. "Jackie, I was only saying that you could have been seriously hurt. Men in positions like that don't take rejection well. If they had found out what you were really doing they might have…" he left off the end of his thought. He couldn't think about that, not even as a hypothetical.

Jackie's hands were on her hips now and she was glaring down at him. "Listen up and listen good, Steven," she said her voice restored to normal octave but still teeming with anger, "I am fully aware of the things that could happen to me while I do this and I'm going to keep doing it anyway. Because I am damn good at it. It is scary, and thrilling, and wonderful to finally be good at something that takes so much work. And yes, it did get dangerous a few times but I HELD MY OWN. If all you're ever going to see me as is a weak, desperate 18 year-old then let me know now, Steven." Giant tears had formed at the corners of her eyes and she looked away, silently daring him to try and equivocate to her.

Hyde hung his head and then stood up. He put his hands on her shoulder, grateful when she didn't jerk away. He turned her head so she had to look at him, "Jackie, I'm sorry. I still have a long way to go before I see you for who you've become, but I promise I'll get there." He pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her. "I know you don't want to hear this, but I have to say it anyway. I cannot stand the thought of anyone hurting you. That's hardwired in my brain. I just don't know what I'd do without you."

Jackie let two tears fall as she pressed her head into his chest. _He's trying so hard. He'll get there._ "Thank you, baby," she said softly.

He pulled her back into his lap as he sat down and made a mental note to run all sentences through his head twice before he spoke. He wanted to enjoy these last few hours with her. "So," he said, "are you going to write to me like you did with Eric?"

Jackie shook her head, "No mail allowed, Steven. They don't want to have to be screening packages and letters for drugs and alcohol for all the patients. But, they do let you have a phone in your room and I can call you three times a week. You can call me on the weekends, if you want to."

His heart sank a little. Limited contact was going to make it pretty hard to remind her he was still in the picture. She saw the worry crease his face and she said, "Steven, I've been gone for 18 months and didn't see you or speak to you the whole time and I still love you. Please don't worry about that."

He nodded and moved on to his next question, "So what does happen when I get back?" he asked.

"That depends on what you want to happen. It's a bridge we'll have to cross when we get there."

"I'm still going to want you, doll. That's not going to change."

"I sure as hell hope not!" she said, laughing, "But if it does, at least I know we can be kind to each other now." She was trying to balance the desire for hope and the need to protect herself from the fall if things did change. If he came back different, or worse- the same as before-, she would need to hold herself together and move on. "I only ask one thing."

"Name it."

"Be honest with me. Even if you're afraid I'll be mad or I'll walk away."

"I promise, Jackie," he said, "I'll always be honest with you."

She leaned into him and kissed him passionately. She wanted him to know how much she was going to miss him. How much she had already missed him. He responded in kind, gently probing her mouth with his tongue and holding her close to him. The steady sound of her heart in her ears let her know that she'd be naked in two minutes if she didn't stop soon. Gently, she pulled back and rested her forehead on his. "I'm so proud of you, Steven. I'm so proud of you for trying."

He let her words sink in. He felt his own heart beat stronger, and his shoulders seemed to lift an inch or two. He couldn't fully explain why, but he knew what it was. _Finally… hope._


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

July 11th

Milwaukee Airport

Hyde leaned in close to Jackie, his arms locked around her from her behind. He hadn't been more than a foot from her since they got to the gate. "I love you," he whispered into her ear.

She gently unlocked his hands and turned to face him. "I love you, too," she whispered back, hearing the subtext in his voice. "Are you nervous?"

He tried to assuage her, "Nah, just not looking forward to the heat."

"Steven…"

He sighed, "Fine, Jackie, I'm nervous."

She grabbed his butt and bit her lip, "Just a little absence to make the heart grow fonder, baby."

He grinned and kissed her, wishing the clock would stand still on the wall behind her. As she rested her head on his chest, he heard the gate agent make her final announcement for passengers to board. He grabbed the small backpack Kitty had given him and hoisted it onto his shoulder. Looking down at his beautiful doll, he saw her pull something out that had been hidden under her blouse.

The beautiful white gold locket from Red was hanging on a long chain. He picked it up and gazed at it. He really thought she would have pawned it or melted it down after the whole Sam incident. For some reason, it calmed his nerves to see her wearing it. "I thought you would've gotten rid of it," he said softly.

She shook her head lightly, "You said you'd always be with me. I just wanted to make sure you kept _that_ promise." Her voice was gentle, but firm. She needed him to understand what was at stake, just like WB had done with her nearly two years ago. When she looked up again, his head was bowed towards hers.

"I _swear_ Jacqueline, I'm not going to walk away again. I'll be back, and we're going to have a good life together."

Her breath felt ragged in her chest. She knew she'd lose what composure she had before too much longer. She looked up, using 95 pounds of sheer force of will to keep her cool, and felt a beautiful peace settle on her. His deep blue eyes were fixed on her face, a calm and kind smile on his lips, and love- very like the one she felt on a Valentine's night long ago- was radiating from them.

"Be safe. I'll be here when you know what you want to do" she said, and she kissed him very deeply.

He breathed in her scent and kissed her forehead, then he walked straight for the jetway. He didn't turn back. He didn't think he'd keep walking if he saw her face looking back at him. Once he was settled in his seat, he looked out the window. He was sure he could see her waving at him from the airport, he put his whole palm to the window and said quietly, "I'll be back."

* * *

July 12th

Kenosha, WI

The dark haired man stood outside the rundown apartment complex and wrinkled his nose. Even from the outside the place smelled like shit. He walked up to the common front door and knocked. He noticed it was heavy and thick, like a steel fire door. A speakeasy slid open, and a pair of dark eyes stared at him from inside.

" _Santo y seña?"_

The man passed $200 through the speakeasy and stared back at the eyes. The password question was a trick. If one of their guys was collared by the cops and tried to flip them for information, they would give them a fake password. The cop would show up and try to get in and be denied entry. Meanwhile, they could begin moving their cargo to a new shop while police tried to obtain a warrant. The scheme had worked well so far.

The man heard the locks shift on the door and it opened up. For a split second he wished it hadn't. The stench was overwhelming- vomit, urine, feces and sweat all seeped in to the floorboards. One thing was for sure, once he did what he came here to do he was going to make sure it was burned to the ground.

" _Que lo quieres?"_ asked the doorman.

"La rubia" the man answered. There might be a few blondes here, but only one he was looking for, and she'd be easy to spot.

The doorman gestured to the hallway in front of him. "All _güeras_ on this floor."

The man resisted the urge to punch the doorman and walked slowly down the hall. He stopped at the first door and pushed it open. Looking inside he saw a filthy mattress and a thin blonde laying on it. Her glassy eyes were focused on a spot above his head. He took a few steps forward and she vaguely followed his movement with her head. He crouched down in front of her and looked closely at her face. It wasn't the one he was after. He stood up to leave and felt a tug on his pant leg. The woman was pulling on him. He crouched back down and she blinked slowly, but deliberately, and said in a thick whisper, "Help."

He leaned forward, "No," he said and walked away. It was killing him, but he had a priority. As soon as he did that, he could get the rest of them out. As the man walked away, the woman swiftly picked up a walkie-talkie from under her mattress and said, " _Bueno"._ He'd inadvertently avoided the second trap.

The man searched another room and found another girl in the same condition. Finally, on the third try he saw her. She'd never had weight on her, but she was basically skin and bones now. Her wide eyes were dull and listless and she barely responded to his touch. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a syringe and vial. Her eyes widened at the sight, and his heart broke in two. She had no idea who he was, but the sight of the needle had triggered a Pavlovian response.

"Momentito," he said. She nodded in understanding. He withdrew a small amount, and found a vein. Sending up a short prayer, he pushed the chemicals into her vein and waited. In the space of a heartbeat her pupils went from pinpricks to fully dilated, she drew in a huge lungful of air and tried to crawl up the wall behind her. The man threw himself on her and wrapped her tightly in his arms, "Ssshhh, I know. Try to take a few deep breaths. You will feel jittery and sick for a while. I need you to look at me. Look at me and see if you recognize me."

The woman took several deep breaths. He was right, she could feel vomit rising up in her throat. Leaning over the edge of the mattress she emptied her stomach onto the floor. After a few moments, she sat up and looked at the man. His dark hair and flawless skin looked so out of place in this dirty, smelly hovel, but still, she knew that smile and those eyes.

"I know you," she said slowly, "Why are you here?"

"I'll tell you on the way out," he said, "We need to get out. In the next ten minutes."

She looked panicked, "You can't get out! There's a door guard, and the windows are nailed shut!"

"It's okay," he said, "I've got a plan. All you have to do is lay there and pretend to be dead."

"I can do that," she said, "but then what?"

"Trust me," he said simply. She nodded and lay back on the mattress, letting her limbs splay randomly on the surface.

" _Oye!"_ he yelled into the hall, " _Esta puta está muerta!"_ He stood at the doorway, his arms crossed and his expression angry. The doorman double-checked the lock on the front door and headed back to the room. He walked in and the dark-haired customer gestured angrily at the bed. As the doorman crossed the room, the man withdrew a second syringe and pulled the plunger back to fill it with air. He watched the doorman lean over the blonde and he made his move. Coming up behind him, he swiftly plunged the needle into his neck and depressed the plunger. The man collapsed instantly onto the bed, and the girl grabbed her liberator's hand.

They ran for the front door and he closed it behind him. As they jumped in the car she turned to him and said, "Where are you taking me? Home?"

"No," the man said, "Not for awhile. I've been looking for you for over a year. I'm not going to just drag you back to where this started."

"Then where am I going?" She was starting to come down from the naloxone he'd given her. The whole of her body began to break out in a cold sweat.

"I found a place that will help. In a few months you'll be completely clean and then we can work on getting you into a good life," he paused, his voice thick with emotion, "A life you deserve."

Her mind was too fixated on her withdrawal to register his words. In a few months, when the pain and the addiction receded, she'd remember them. She'd remember how he'd found value in her, how much he'd risked for her, and she'd mark it down in her small green notebook as the day she felt loved for the first time.

* * *

August 15th

Hunt, Texas

The late summer Texas heat felt good on his skin. He pulled the barbed wire tight and wrapped it around the next fence post. He'd been out at the ranch working for the past few days on the advice of his counselor. She believed in a "whole body" approach to recovery, so she'd put together a physical component to his therapy from the outset. He'd spent the past two weeks alternating between physical labor at this ranch and doing recreational activity like swimming in Cullum Lake, or hiking through the Texas Hill Country. He found he relished the chance to let his mind go during that time. His counseling sessions were mentally exhausting, and if he was being honest, emotionally as well.

The first week he'd been at the clinic he'd been through a complete battery of blood tests. The doctors had been kind but honest. His liver could recover if he quit drinking. He'd even asked if he could "celebrate" on special occasions and the doctor had given him a severe look. "Mr. Hyde, I'm trying to be honest with you because I think it makes patients more likely to be treatment compliant. So, yes, if you have a glass of champagne at your wedding, you won't suffer adverse side effects. However," and at this point his eyes had become hardened as only a doctor who had watched hundreds of patients succumb could, "you need to keep in mind that alcoholics rarely stop at _A GLASS_. They have one, feel fine, have another, maybe recognize they're drunk since they've been sober for awhile, and stop. Then the next day, when they aren't hungover since they only had two drinks, they think they're cured. They start to think they don't need meetings, or treatment, or to be labelled as an alcoholic anymore. And it's a short and lethal slide into the darkness after that."

Hyde had taken his disease seriously after that. He wanted a long, full life with his doll. He'd spent weeks participating in every therapy the doctors and counselors had ordered. He'd been brutally honest in therapy, talking about Edna, Bud, WB, Jackie and everyone else in his life. It had been harder than the day he woke up in his Camino and Jackie hadn't been there…

He took off his hat and ran a gloved hand through his sweat-soaked curls. The sunburn on his shoulders felt like payment for his past. He looked behind him and saw he had 4 more fence posts to wrap. He gripped the barbed wire in his thick gloves and pulled the wire, leaning into the dirt to pull it completely taught. He had the last posts wrapped in 20 minutes, and he chugged half a gallon of water he'd left under a mesquite tree. He heard the ranch owner's truck driving up on the access road and he waved to it.

The ranch owner, a man in his early 50s with silver hair and kind green eyes, pulled the truck up to the tree and hopped out. He was tall, and if Hyde had seen him in a dark alley he'd have considered turning around. His name was Colt Green, and his ranch was used for both cattle grazing and as a dog sanctuary. Colt took in dogs from the pound who were about to be euthanized the next day. The last time Hyde counted, Colt had about fifty dogs on the ranch. He'd even trained a few to herd the cattle away from fence lines that had to be repaired. Hyde had a deep respect for Colt. The man treated everyone as his equal, from ex-cons looking for some work experience to recovering alcoholics who needed a way to work through their demons. His wife, Bunny, was a spitfire. A true "Yellow Rose", as Colt liked to put it, thorns and beauty all together. On his first day, Bunny had walked up to him accompanied by her Great Dane, Ares, and fixed him with a stern gaze. "Now I understand you're here to do some work and get your head straight, sugar. That's fine by me and Colt. If there's something you can't do, be honest, so we don't have to find out the hard way when half the cattle's been swept down the Guadalupe during a flash flood because you can't wrap a fence post tighter'n you tie your shoes. Now, c'mon inside and grab breakfast, I swear y'all look like ya ain't eaten properly since kindergarten."

Colt sidled up to Hyde and clapped him on the shoulder. "Can't thank you enough for all your work, Steven," he said, "Me n' Bunny were just sayin' we'd love for you to come back down anytime you'd like for a visit. It'd be a real treat to meet that Jacqueline you've been talkin' up."

Hyde smiled and nodded enthusiastically, "I know she'd love that, Colt." The Green Ranch was everything beautiful about Texas. The rolling hills, the crystal clear waters of the Guadalupe, and Bunny and Colt's kindness had made this paradise a home. Colt had spent the better part of some days listening to Hyde talk about Jackie, his friends, his dad, whatever he was focusing on in therapy. He'd offered his ear, and when asked, his advice.

He leaned in close over the last fence post and looked at Hyde with his calm green eyes. "How much longer the docs gonna keep ya here, son?"

Hyde looked down at his gloves and then back up at Colt, "I'm leaving on Monday, sir," he said with a wide smile, "They think I've made good progress the last month and that I'll be okay with AA meetings and regular check-ins. All thanks in no small part to you and Bunny."

Colt waved off the gratitude and smiled back, "None necessary, son. Although," he paused, "I know it'd make Bunny's year if you'd come back to visit now and again. We never had the chance to have kids of our own, so when the doc from the clinic told us we could help young folks like yourself with time on the ranch, well… I know she likes to mother you boys, but she's never had the chance to get to know any young ladies. We both took a shine to you from the get-go, so I know she's hopin' to meet your Jacqueline and get to know her better."

Hyde was a bit overwhelmed by the parental sentiment from Bunny and Colt. They'd known him for all of a month, yet they'd folded him into their world, made him feel welcome and valued. _This must've been what Jackie was doing with all of us._ Thinking of his doll was painful right now. He missed her fiercely. Their calls had been limited to 30 minutes and the sound of her voice only served to amplify his anxiety. He'd finally told her after a week that he wanted to call her on Saturday and she to call on Wednesday. She'd been gracious about it, acknowledging his need to focus on recovery, but he was worried she would pull away all the same.

"I promise, Colt, I'm bringing her back here for something very special. She doesn't know it, but this place is what she's always dreamed of for her wedding" he said fervently, "I'd love to bring her back here for that."

Now it was Colt's turn to be overwhelmed. The sickly man-child who'd showed up here a month ago had morphed into an image very like what he'd always pictured for a son. The boy was honest, hard-working, and he seemed to love this 'Jacqueline' as much as Colt loved Bunny. He was proud of how hard the boy had worked to get better. It hadn't mattered how dirty or exhausting the work was, he'd shown up and done it all. Life sometimes answered silently whispered prayers in strange ways.

"I think that'd be the best wedding this ranch has ever had," he said to Hyde, "You just let us know when and we'll get all the particulars in order."

"Thanks, Colt," Hyde said, "Any chance I can grab dinner with you and Bunny? Saturday night at the clinic is worst night for food, and Bunny promised she'd make brisket." Bunny's brisket was second to none in the Hill Country, and it took her nearly 24 hours to smoke it. She called it a "Texas delicacy" and after two successive Saturday night dinners he'd had to agree.

"Like you even have to ask," said Colt, grinning, "Bunny made all your favorites again. And she baked up a batch of kolaches for you to take back to the clinic for breakfast… and lunch… and dinner."

"Jalapeño and cheese?" asked Hyde hopefully.

"Whole dozen," replied Colt, "C'mon then, let's get back to Bunny n' Ares. I swear, that dog'll miss you as much as she does come Monday."

Hyde didn't want to admit that the giant blue Dane had tackled his way into his heart as well. He was huge, even for a Dane, but possessed an extraordinarily gentle nature. The dog reminded him irresistibly of Kelso. Hyde usually spent a half-hour every morning drinking coffee and giving Ares a thorough rub-down on the front porch. As they rounded the last half-acre to the ranch house he saw the dog run up to the locked gate to meet them. Hyde jumped out and swung the gate open, whistling to Ares and lowering the tailgate so he could jump in. Driving to the house, Hyde thought about how much Jackie would love the way the night sky glowed with stars out here.

Bunny had prepared brisket, potato salad, Texas toast, beans and pecan pie for dessert. By the time he'd finished his last plate, Hyde was sure he'd put on fifty pounds. He got up from the table and took his plates to the sink. As he rinsed them off, he saw a few fireworks go off to the south and he looked at Bunny who was next to him. "Just practicing for Labor Day, sugar. They have a big celebration down in Medina every time there's a holiday."

Hyde laughed and said, "Any excuse to blow stuff up, huh?"

"Got that right, son."

Colt joined them and they all had a good time watching the preview fireworks. After a last round of goodbyes, Hyde headed back out to the main road to wait for the shuttle driver to come get him. As he bade Henry the driver goodnight, he thought about his time in Texas. He'd been through a lot in his life, but nothing had taught him as much as this last month. He'd gotten stronger- mentally and physically- but he'd also realized there were places he'd always be weaker than most. He needed Jackie in his life, and for the first time he couldn't wait to tell her that.

He got to his room and picked up the phone, dialing a number he'd burned into his brain.

"Hello?"

"Jackie? It's me."

"Steven! How are you, baby?"

"I'm good, doll. Listen, I've got something to tell you. The doctors are releasing me as of tomorrow."

"Oh my God! Steven, that's amazing!" she cried. He could picture her jumping up and down and the image made him smile.

"Thanks, doll. Listen, I missed you so much this last month, but I want to ask you something."

"Anything, baby."

"I want to see you so bad, but I need to spend a day with WB first. There are things I need to say to him and questions I need answered. I was wondering if you'd be okay with meeting me at his place in Milwaukee on Tuesday, the day after I get back." He cringed a little waiting for her response. He knew she'd be hurt by his request, but he was hoping to avoid a blow-out.

"Steven," she replied gently, "of course that's okay. How about I come over around noon? That way you guys have time to talk over breakfast if things go badly."

He was glad she couldn't see the surprise on his face over the phone. "Jackie, thanks babe. I'll make sure Maria leaves the front door unlocked for you."

"I can't wait to see you, Steven."

"Me neither, doll," he said, hesitating. He wanted to tell her he loved her, that his heart hadn't changed, that he was ready to be with her for good. But he heard a small voice in the back of his head telling him to wait. _She deserves the big gesture, man. Don't do this over the phone._ "I'll see you on Tuesday."

"See you Tuesday, baby. Be safe and I'll see you soon."

Hyde busied himself packing his bag up and then tried to fall asleep. His mind was running through too many scenarios for him to drift off, though. He wanted to do everything perfectly, and there were so many options he could hardly focus. Finally, though, sleep enveloped him. He would be home in just over 24 hours. Home and starting fresh with the love of his life. _No more living in the past. I'm done with all of it._

Oh, if only it were that simple…

* * *

August 16th

Evanston, IL

Jackie and Eric's place (and Amina too)

Jackie woke up and stumbled into the kitchen. She'd smelled the coffee and burek, and her mind and stomach were in desperate need of stimulation and comfort. First, always first, was coffee. She poured a giant mug and placed the pot back in the coffee maker. As she did so, she heard a loud pop and the lights in the apartment went out. _What the fuck?!_

"Sorry!" called Eric from his bedroom, "My fault! Just reset the fuse panel!"

Jackie walked toward her brother's bedroom, cradling the hot survival liquid in her hand. She pushed the door open and saw an entire room covered in metal detritus. "What the hell, Eric? Did you eviscerate R2-D2?"

Eric looked up, mildly surprised at his little sister's quip, "No! Well, not really… It's complicated," he finished.

"Dude. What did you do?"

"Okay, you know how I took that self-paced circuits course this summer?" he asked.

Jackie nodded. He'd gotten an A and finished 3 weeks early, the nerd. "Well, I realized that even with that A, I didn't really understand what any of it meant. So I went down to the local electronics store and asked them for scrap so I could take it apart and see how stuff worked. I was trying to put this monitor back together, so I plugged it in and blew the circuit breaker," he finished sheepishly.

Jackie nodded in exasperation, "Okay, come show me what a circuit breaker is and how to reset it."

Eric got up and led her to the breaker panel in the wall. He opened it up and showed her the labels and the circuit breakers. Resetting the main one, the lights came back on and she turned to him. "Can you explain some of that to me? I'm done with my last final and this actually looks kind of cool."

"Sure, come on back to my Bat-Cave!"

Rolling her eyes, she followed him back to the bedroom and sat down on a corner of the bed still clutching the coffee cup. "Okay, so basically what happened was that I caused too much current to surge through the apartment. Those breakers are designed to pop open and prevent current flow through wires that would damage them. Think about plugging in your microwave and hairdryer into the same outlet. As long as they're both off, no big deal, because they aren't pulling current through the wires. One at a time, still no biggie. But, you turn them both on at the same instant and they draw a massive amount of current through the wires and pop the breaker. Unfortunately, this monitor had a few damaged circuit boards and I think the capacitors I replaced were too highly rated. Drew way too much current."

Jackie nodded, "So technically you could black out a neighborhood by just overloading the circuit breakers?"

"Well, that's a really simplified way of putting it. Breakers are designed to pop open from smallest load to biggest- outlets first, then rooms, then homes, then blocks, etc. That way one person's microwave doesn't cause a neighborhood blackout."

"Ooohhh, okay," she said, comprehending most of what he'd said. It really was kind of cool to see how he was putting theory into reality.

"So, what's on the plate for this week?" he asked.

"Well," she said, smiling coyly, "Steven's coming home on Monday!"

"What?" he exclaimed, "That's amazing!" He jumped off the floor and hugged her.

"I know!" she said excitedly, "I'm going to drive up on Tuesday to spend some time with him."

Eric looked confused, "Why Tuesday?"

"Well, he said there were some things he needed to talk about with WB and I wanted him to have that time," she said.

"That's really big of you," he said gently, "I hope everything is just the way you've wanted it to be, kiddo."

"Thanks, Eric," she said, squeezing his hand, "I want to stop and get him something special before I get there. Any ideas?"

"Well," he said, "I think that store meant more to him than just about anything. Can you think of anything he might've had at the store that he couldn't replace after the fire?"

"Hmmm," she mused, "You know, there was a Zeppelin poster from one of their tours. It hung behind his desk in the office. Signed by the whole band. I could try and find a replacement for it?"

"I think that would be perfect," he said. Jackie was way better at gifts than Donna had ever been. At least there wouldn't be a hideous man-ring in Hyde's future…

Jackie jumped up and went to get dressed. She had a day and a half to find this perfect gift. She needed to get her ass in gear!

* * *

The phone rang inside the lake cabin and the slender fingers picked it up instantly. "Hello?" a high-pitched voice snapped.

"She'll be in Milwaukee on Tuesday."

"How do you know?"

"I followed her to a store. She told the guy at the front that she wanted to get a present for her 'man' and she needed it before Tuesday, since she was leaving for Milwaukee. The guy told her he didn't have what she was looking for, but he thought he knew a store in Milwaukee that might. He called and then gave her the name and address of the store."

"Good. Stay on her tomorrow to make sure she doesn't leave early. If she sticks to the schedule, then grab her at the store. And make sure to keep it quiet and keep her alive."

"I know, I know. You get your money and then I get my man."

"Precisely. Be careful and keep out of sight."

"Will do."

The woman at the cabin hung up, crossing her legs and sipping on her beer. She'd been waiting months to get her payout. Thanks to a little digging, she'd found a way to get what she wanted and leave no trace back to her. In a few days she'd have everything she needed to start over somewhere better. She just had to make sure her partner kept a level head.

* * *

August 17th

Milwaukee, WI

WB was nursing his third cup of coffee and feeling like decaf would've been a better choice. Steven had said he wanted to talk, and WB had been eager to be the first link of trust his son reestablished outside of rehab. Their conversation had been productive at first, with Steven asking questions about his and Edna's relationship and why he'd never tried to find him before. It had been hard to get through the conversation, but they'd managed it. Then Steven had excused himself to go to the bathroom, but not before he told WB that he'd saved the most important question for last.

WB was nervous. If the first part of their talk had been "easy" he didn't want to know what the next would be classified as.

Hyde came back, trying hard to not betray how nervous he felt. He wiped his palms on his jeans and sat down across from WB. Clearing his throat he said, "WB, man, I need to ask you something really important."

WB nodded and tried to keep his hands from shaking on his coffee mug. "Go ahead, son. Ask me anything."

"Well, I think you know how much Jackie means to me," he said, "I know she's waiting for me to give her an answer to her question, and I want to make sure she understands me perfectly. WB, I want to ask her to marry me."

WB buried his hands in his face. He'd been so worried that the happiness he felt on hearing his son's announcement was a little overwhelming.

"WB?" Steven asked, a little worried.

WB looked up and smiled through happy tears, "That's wonderful, son. I'm so happy for you. But… what did you need to ask me for?"

Hyde looked embarrassed, "Well, I don't really have the money for an engagement ring right now. I was hoping for a loan so I could get her something she'd like. I swear I'll pay you back." He'd never asked for money from anyone before in his life, but he felt like this was the moment to swallow his pride.

WB shook his head and grasped his son's hands, "Son, I don't know how to tell you this, but I'm not loaning you any money."

Hyde was prepared for the response. He was a recovering alcoholic with a bad track record. Hopefully he could convince Jackie to stay with him while he saved up the money…

"Steven," WB said calmly, "I'm not loaning you money for a ring. We'll go to the jewelry store right now and pick one out and I'll give it to you outright. Son, I've got plenty of money and all I want is for you to be happy. If you're ready to marry that good woman, and I can help, then by all means- let's get it done."

Steven smiled. He hadn't expected things to fall into place so well for him. As they rose from the table and headed to the jewelry store he thought about all the things he'd wanted to say to Jackie since he'd been gone. He knew he'd need to tell her about Caroline, and Donna, and all the awful things he'd done while she'd been away. But before he did any of that, he wanted one more moment where he did something completely right for her. And he was going to start with the perfect ring.

* * *

August 18th

Evanston, IL

Jackie woke up at the crack of dawn, her nerves riding the crest of a tidal wave of anxiety. _What if he's changed his mind? What if he figured out I'm not what he wants? FUCK!_

She let her mind run its race in her head for an hour while she stared at the ceiling. The outcomes she had to choose from were black and white. If he chose her, she would follow her heart into happiness. If he didn't, she'd have to make her own path to happiness. It was the second one that was worrying her. The words were easy to say in her head, but she knew from experience they were nearly impossible to live out. _Breathe, Burkhardt. You can't control what you don't know._

She finally got up an hour later and made her way to the shower. She decided to give herself the full two hours to get ready. She set her hair in the long curls she knew Steven liked, but kept her makeup simple. She'd gotten used to a more sparing routine in the last two years and found she liked it better. She picked out a sundress and heels and grabbed her purse and small suitcase. She was hoping for a few days with him, but just in case she'd put the suitcase in the trunk. She didn't want to seem presumptuous, after all.

She pulled the Lincoln out of the apartment complex and made her way to the highway. As she drove, she played with her locket and hummed a few bars of "The Rain Song". As she made her way through Kenosha, she felt an odd sensation creeping up her neck. She felt like she was being watched. She turned her neck to check the back seat. Nothing. She chalked it up to nerves.

She started to review her map and directions to the memorabilia store, and turned off the highway at her exit. She pulled into the strip mall and found a parking spot near the back of the lot. She strode into the store and found the owner waiting behind the counter, as she'd been told.

"Hi, I'm Jacqueline Burkhardt," she said with a smile, "We spoke on the phone about the signed poster?"

"Hi, Bob Bradley," the bald man said with an equally gracious smile, "I'm glad you showed up! It's one of our rarer and more expensive pieces, so most of the time we just have people call for the price and then never show up."

"I'm sorry!" she said, "But I'm definitely interested. I brought the cash, as well."

He nodded and brought the poster up from behind the counter. It was signed by all four members, and was from the Denver Auditorium Arena- their first American concert. What made it especially valuable was that the poster had hung on the marquee for the arena, it wasn't a fan purchased souvenir. Traditionally, bands were gifted these after successful shows from the promoters. Somehow, it had ended up here, in a memorabilia shop. Jackie knew he'd love it.

"It's perfect," she said, "Do you have authentication papers?"

"Standard for something this rare," he said, and pulled a few papers in a plastic bag from the drawer.

She glanced at them and opened her purse. "I feel like the price we agreed on is fair for the quality." She pulled out an envelope and pushed it towards him. He opened it, counted the bills and asked her if she wanted a receipt. "No, thanks. I'm running a little late as it is. I'm supposed to be at his dad's house in half an hour."

She thanked him again and took the poster and papers out to her car. She unlocked the trunk and gently laid it inside. She dashed around to the driver's side and pulled the door open. She heard a sizzling sound, felt a rush of burning heat in her neck, and then everything went black.

* * *

Milwaukee, WI

Steven was pacing the den at WB's house, his hands nervously checking to make sure the ring was still in his pocket. He checked his watch. It was nearly 5:00. _Where are you, doll?_

He went to the kitchen and picked up the phone. He was about to dial her apartment when he heard the front door open. "Jackie?" he called, heading to the entryway, "Damn, woman, I was starting to-" but he stopped short. It was WB and Angie, and they looked confused.

"Son, where's Jackie?" WB asked, "I thought we'd be celebrating by now…"

"Did she say no?!" squeaked Angie, her hands flying to her mouth.

"What?" said Hyde, "No, she… She hasn't gotten here yet." His mind was racing now. He felt like he should have more information than he did. He went back to the kitchen, leaving WB and Angie in the front den. He dialed Jackie's apartment and waited, his fingers drumming out a steady rhythm.

"Hello?"

"Amina?" Hyde said, "It's Steven, listen is Jackie there?"

"No," Amina replied, sounding surprised, "Lije left early this morning. She wanted to make sure she got to you by noon. Is she not there?"

Hyde's throat and mouth felt as dry as the desert. "No," he croaked, "she's not here. Can you check with Eric? See if he's heard from her?"

"Of course," she said and he heard her set the phone down. He waited, hoping Eric had some information. The phone rattled on the other end and Eric came on the line, "Hyde? Amina says Jackie never made it to you?"

"No," he repeated, "Do you have any idea where she could be?"

"None," said Eric, "Listen, Amina and I are going to call Kelso and start driving to Milwaukee. We'll keep our eyes peeled on the way for her car. You guys stay there in case she shows up."

Hyde nodded and then remembered Foreman couldn't see him over the phone, "Okay man, see you guys soon."

Hyde hung up and turned to his dad and Angie.

"Guys, Jackie's missing."


	22. Chapter 22

August 18th

Chicago, IL

"What do you mean 'she's missing?" Kelso said, his pulse quickening and his face tightening. Eric had called him directly after hanging up with Hyde, explaining the situation as Amina gathered up some essentials and checked Jackie's room for any clues.

"She's not here and she never got to WB's place," Eric said, "She's more than five hours late, and I know she left here in plenty of time to make it to Milwaukee by noon. Listen, man, I'm seriously worried. If she'd broken down she would've called us or Hyde by now, but nobody's heard from her. Amina and I are going to leave in about five minutes, do you want to stay here and we'll call you when-"

"No," Michael cut him off, "I'll have Brooke drop me off at Trinity. You guys swing off 94 and pick me up. Take your time, though, and keep your eyes open for her car. Drive the route she'd have taken. I'm going to call highway patrol and see if they've gotten calls for any accidents on 94."

"Okay, we'll meet you there," he said.

Eric hung up and called out, "Amina! Let's go, babe!" She came running out of their room, clutching a small blue book in her hands and a duffel bag thrown over her shoulder. She'd managed to change out of her usual skirt and sandals and pulled on shorts and jogging shoes. He looked at her quizzically and she said, "In case we find her car and need to look for Lije on foot. I do not want to be the slow pope."

Eric grinned. He needed to remember "slow pope" for Jackie. She was compiling a list of "Amina-isms". He knew she'd like that one… He felt his heart tighten a little. _Just be okay, kiddo. We'll find you._

* * *

"Michael?" Brooke's voice broke through Kelso's concentration, "What's happened? Who's missing?"

"Jackie. She never showed up to meet Hyde, and Eric said she left the apartment around 9:30 this morning. Nobody's heard from her either," he looked down at his notepad and started walking towards the office/library off the den, "I told Eric that you'd drop me at Trinity and I'm going to head towards Milwaukee with them to try and figure out where she might be."

Brooke's mind began to race through her own scenarios. "Michael!" she yelled, hurrying after him, "Honey, do you think it's possible that she didn't go missing on accident?"

Michael turned to face his fiancée, "I think anything is possible, babe, but why do you say that?"

Brooke bit her lip, "Look, I know you guys will probably shout this down, but what about Donna? She was really angry when she left, and I know she and Jackie had words before you guys went to Point Place. Bob even 'sent her off' to cool down. Well," she paused, "what if she came back and decided to hurt Jackie?"

Kelso bent his head down. He'd known Donna since they were in kindergarten, and while he wasn't happy with her behavior of late, he didn't want to believe she could hurt Jackie. "I'll look into everything, Brooke," he said, "Even Donna."

Brooke nodded. Even though it felt odd to even think it, she hoped her best friend was _just_ in a car accident. She grabbed her keys from the table and Betsy off the floor. As she drove Michael out of their neighborhood toward Trinity University, she kept her mind on positive thoughts. She needed Jackie to be okay. _They'll find you, Jackie. Just hang on._

* * *

The Lake Cabin

Jackie woke up in complete darkness. Her left shoulder throbbed painfully and her head felt like she'd been punched. She tried to sit up, but realized her legs and arms were shackled to something. A rush of panic flooded her. Where the hell was she? What had happened to her?

"Hello?" she called out loudly, "Hello? Why am I chained up here? What's going on?" She tried to twist and turn to determine what kind of room she was in. The panic in her chest as making it hard to breathe. She could feel the bile rising in her throat and she fought hard not to vomit. Taking a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes again and tried to focus on anything in the darkness. She could detect a doorway on the far side of the room, and she could feel a thin mattress underneath her. She was about to call out again when she heard voices. She tried to concentrate on the source and her eyes found the bare outline of a heating vent near to her. The voices were having a clipped discussion.

"Why didn't you take HER car after you tazed her?" said a high-pitched snappy voice.

"Because," a second female voiced sounded, "everyone will be looking for HER car, genius. Leaving it there is fine. The trail goes cold after that. Nobody saw me, and now they have nowhere else to look."

"Oh. Well, okay. We need to make sure they don't get the cops involved. You head back to Milwaukee. Keep an eye on them. Once Hyde and his dad are alone, you call me. I'll make the ransom demand. Once everything is done we walk away and never speak to each other again."

"What am I supposed to do about her?" said the second woman, "You get your money, but I want what you promised to me!"

"Calm down, fruitcake," the first woman said, "This house is on a lake! Just shoot her and dump her body in it. That way she's out of your way and you can console poor Hyde about losing the 'love of his life'- "

"SHUT UUUUUPPP!" screamed the second voice, "Steven Hyde is in love with ME! Got that? M-E, ME!"

This time, Jackie really did throw up. She knew that voice. She knew that crazy, irrational, ear-splitting shriek. Crazy Caroline was one of her kidnappers. The other voice was familiar, but the terror in her mind was making it difficult to concentrate. She strained her ears, trying to listen for a tell-tale accent or phrase.

"Okay! Okay!" the first woman said, "Yeesh, calm down Mental Mary. He loves you. Happy?"

"Yeah, you just remember that Stripperella. Once you've got your money you stay far away from him. I don't need a fake-tittied ex-wife distracting him while I'm recreating our beautiful night together."

 _Jesus. Christ. You have got to be shitting me. SAM? I'm being held for ransom by an escaped mental patient and a fucking stripper?_ Jackie's mind was in overdrive. She needed to figure out a plan. No way were these two psychos going to let her go. She was going to have to escape.

* * *

August 18th

Milwaukee, WI

Eric, Amina and Kelso piled out of the Vista Cruiser and ran up the long driveway to WB's house. Angie flung the door open before they could even knock, and ushered them into the kitchen. Hyde was sitting at the table, his head in his hands, while WB spoke with his private investigator. Amina leaned over to Angie and whispered, "How is everyone?"

Angie turned to Amina, tears threatening to spill over her lashes and replied, "Worried sick. It's not like Jackie to not show up, or leave a message. It'll be dark soon and we don't know how much longer we should wait. Daddy's talking to his P.I. right now. He thinks maybe he can give us some pointers on where to start."

WB hung up and turned to the group, "Okay, kids, listen up. Jerry says the police won't take a missing person report until Jackie's been gone for 24 hours. In the meantime, he suggested tracing her route from Evanston to here, see if we can find the car."

Kelso nodded and spoke up, "Okay, I already called the Illinois Highway Patrol and asked them to be on the lookout for her car. If they've spotted it, they'll call here. WB I gave them your number. We can do the same for Wisconsin, and I've got a buddy working tonight on the police force in Kenosha. I say we let them do the legwork. They can cover a lot more ground than we can on their normal patrols, plus it's going to be dark soon. We don't have the same floodlights they do."

"So what are we going to do?" asked Eric urgently.

"I say we spend a few minutes brainstorming where she might have stopped along the way and check those places. If we find the car, we find a phone and call here. Someone will need to stay behind to coordinate messages," Michael finished. Everyone stared at him. The plan was so well-thought that it was hard to believe Kelso had put it together.

"Yeah", "Sounds good", and "Cool" were echoed around the kitchen. Kelso looked over at Hyde, who was still sitting at the table, and he felt anger course through his veins. He had half a mind to go over and punch him in the face. Jackie was missing, probably hurt, and Hyde was just falling apart. Just as Kelso started to move towards him, he felt Amina pass by.

She pulled out the chair next to Hyde and sat down. Reaching over, she gently pried his hands away from his face and forced him to look at her. "Now is not the time for pity," she said simply, "Now is the time for action. Lije needs us to find her, and to find her we all need to be strong. Now, come," and she rose, gesturing for Hyde to follow her.

Hyde shook his head, as though trying to shake off a bad memory, and got up, striding over to where they stood. "Okay, guys, let's find her."

WB looked to Kelso, "Michael, you seem to have a good handle on things. Why don't you walk us through this?"

Kelso cleared his throat, "Um, okay. First, did anyone know if she had a full tank of gas or if the Lincoln had any problems?"

Eric shook his head, "She always fills up on Sunday, no matter if it's one gallon or ten. And if the Lincoln needed repairs she'd have done it herself. Only a complete overhaul would be enough to make her pay for a mechanic."

Kelso nodded and crossed "Gas Stations" off his list. "Okay, what about food? Would she have stopped at a diner or a drive-thru?"

This time it was Hyde who answered, "No. She wouldn't have stopped at a diner for a drive that was just an hour or so. Plus, I told her I would be taking her out when she got here."

Kelso crossed off "Restaurants". "Moving on, would she have stopped for anything else?"

They all pondered this for several minutes. Finally, they heard Amina's musical voice yell, "AHA! I found it! Here," she placed a small blue journal on the counter for them all to see, pointing to an entry made just yesterday-

 _08/17/2016_

 _Steven is home! I'm so proud of him! He asked me to give him today with his dad, and I'll drive up tomorrow to see him. I'll admit my ego was a little bruised that he didn't want to see me right away, but I understand he needs to do things his own way. I just hope he still wants me. I've tried really hard to keep things neutral for him on the phone, but it's hard because I miss him so very much. I talked to Eric yesterday about getting him a gift for completing rehab, and he reminded me of the poster that Steven had on his wall at the old Grooves store. I checked all around here, though, and nobody had a signed Zeppelin poster. The guy at the last shop was really nice, and he found one at a music memorabilia store in Milwaukee for me! So I'm going to stop there on my way to meet Steven. I'll have to stop at my bank first to get the cash. Good thing there's a branch in Kenosha, I don't want to be carrying $500 around for long! Anyway, I hope it reminds him that the past has some memories worth preserving, and some worth replacing. Can't wait to see him!_

Everyone stared at each other. Here it was, a map of her last movements. Kelso pointed to Eric and Amina, "You two, head to Heritage Bank in Kenosha. It'll be the one closest to the interstate. The bank will be closed, but search the parking lot." He turned to Hyde and said, "You come with me, we're going to call all the music memorabilia stores in Milwaukee and find out who sold a $500 poster today and pay them a visit."

WB signaled to Kelso, "No need, Michael. There's only one store in Milwaukee that would have something that valuable, and I know the owner. I'll call him and confirm." WB grabbed his Rolodex and dialed in a phone number. As he spoke to the man on the other end, Kelso gestured to Eric to come closer, "Listen, you find anything, any hint that she's hurt, I want you to scour the area for more clues. Literally any little thing that could tell us where she is."

Eric nodded and grabbed Amina's hand, "Let's go, babe." Once outside he pulled her into his arms and kissed her full on the mouth, "Thank you," he said, "for being the smartest woman I have ever fallen in love with. It didn't even occur to me that she would've written anything like that in her journal."

Amina was still a bit dazed from the intensity of his kiss. "Anything for you and Lije, my love." She leaned forward so that her forehead was resting on his chest. " _Bože, sacuvaj,"_ she whispered.

"Bosnian prayer, I hope," he said.

" _Ne_ , my love. Croatian. My mama is a Croat," she said, getting into the car, "This was her prayer during the war, and her mother's during her war."

"What does it mean?" he asked.

"God protect us," she said simply, staring out into the distance. With all her heart she hoped that whatever god was up there was listening to her.

* * *

WB hung up the phone and turned to Kelso, "So, Bob said a lady fitting Jackie's description came in today around 11:30 and purchased a signed Zeppelin poster. He said she took it out of the store herself, and she hasn't been back. Here's the address. He said he'd wait there until you guys had a chance to look over the parking lot, in case you need to ask him anything." He handed Kelso a slip of paper with the address on it.

Kelso looked at it and nodded to Hyde, "Let's go, man."

Hyde grabbed the keys to Angie's car and his wallet. His heart was beating frantically in his chest. _Where could she be?_

As they sped towards the highway, Kelso spoke up, his voice strong and clear, "Hyde, I need to ask you something. Is there any chance that Jackie is missing because of something you did?"

Hyde clenched his jaw muscles, "And why would you assume this is because of me, Kelso? Because I'm the loser alcoholic fresh out of rehab? Or because of how I was raised?"

"Cut the shit, Hyde," Kelso spat back, "I don't have time for your persecution complex. I'm trying to narrow down the possibilities of what might have happened. Jackie didn't just wander off after dropping $500 on a gift for you."

Hyde's anger wouldn't abate, "Well it sure as hell doesn't have anything to do with me, man. Jackie and I aren't even…" he trailed off, his throat constricting as he said her name. He put his left hand on his temple, trying to rub the pain out and focus his thoughts. "I don't know anyone who'd hurt her because of me," he finished sadly.

Kelso studied him for a moment and then said, "Okay, then. Turn left up here, that's the strip mall."

They pulled the car into the lot and saw the bright green sign of the store in the middle of the mall. They drove up and down the lots until Kelso spotted the Lincoln and pointed to it, "There!" he yelled, nearly poking Hyde's eye out, "Over there!"

Hyde swung the car around the end of the row and parked next to the Lincoln. It was at the back of the lot, and as he reached the door he could see it was unlocked. He yanked the door open and peered inside. No Jackie.

Kelso yelled out, "Pop the trunk!". Hyde pulled the lever and the trunk popped open. Kelso looked inside and gently lifted the poster up with one finger. Nothing beneath it but a small suitcase and a plastic bag. He examined the bag and saw they were papers authenticating the poster. "Just your present and a suitcase," he said to Hyde, who'd come around the back. Hyde stared at the poster. He knew it right away. It was an arena poster, from Led Zeppelin's first concert in America, and it was signed by all four members. The journal had said it cost $500, but to Hyde it was priceless. _She must've spent everything she had on this. On a gift for me._ He could feel the hot wetness in his eyes and turned around, his hands clutching fistfuls of his own hair. "FUCK!" he screamed.

Kelso grabbed Hyde by the elbow and spun him around, "Gotta keep it together, man," he said calmly, "I'm gonna need your help to find her. Let's go call WB and let him know we found the car." He strode back to Angie's car and grabbed the Polaroid he'd taken from home. He snapped a few pictures of the car and of the building behind him. "Okay, first we call WB and then we call the police."

* * *

 _Dammit! They're leaving!_ Caroline had to think quickly, if they found Jackie's car they'd call the cops and the whole plan would get infinitely more complicated. She raced back to her car and called her partner from a payphone.

"Yeah?" snapped Sam.

"It's me. They left to go search for her. Eric and some girl he's with, and then Kelso and Steven went in another car."

"So?" said Sam irritably.

"Jesus, you're an idiot. Look, if they find her car they'll call the cops. There's nothing to lead them to you and me, but it'll make a ransom drop a lot damn harder to pull off. You need to make the call now."

"Great. Fine, I'll make the call. You stay there. If you see ANYTHING that looks like the cops you call me, got it?" _Loony tunes._

"Yeah, I got it." _Dipshit Barbie._

Samantha hung up the phone and grabbed the tape recorder she'd purchased. It cost a bit more than she'd expected, but it had a feature to control speed. She'd had Caroline record the demand speaking quickly, and then used the speed feature to distort her voice as it slowed the playback. She picked up the phone and dialed the number to WB's house.

"Hello?"

Sam paused, she'd almost spoken into the phone on reflex.

"Hello? Is anyone there? Jackie?" the man's voice asked.

Sam hit the play button and her distorted, deep voice echoed into the phone:

 _We have Jacqueline Burkhardt. We want $50,000 cash. You have 1 day to get it together. We will call in exactly 24 hours and tell you where to deliver it. If you do, we will give you directions to her location. If not, we will kill her. If you call the cops, we'll leave her body in pieces for you to find._

As soon as the recording stopped she held the receiver to her ear.

"Jackie? You have Jackie? Who is this? Let me speak to her!" the man's voice was frantic and angry. It definitely wasn't Hyde. It was probably his dad. Sam hung up the phone. She hoped he'd heard everything right. She thought it over for a moment and then decided to wait a few minutes and call back and play the message again, just to make sure he'd gotten it.

Ten minutes later, WB's phone rang again. He let it ring twice and then nodded to Angie. She hit the record button on their answering machine and he held the receiver close to the microphone. The entire message was captured and he said, "I understand. I want to speak to her-" but the caller had already hung up.

WB looked at Angie, both their eyes wide with terror and anguish. Someone was holding Jackie for a huge ransom. What the hell were they going to do? Angie finally spoke up, "Daddy, can you get that kind of money in a day?"

WB nodded, running his hand along his beard, "I can get ten times that amount with no problem, sweetie. No, the bigger issue is making sure we can get Jackie back if we pay them." WB went to his office to grab his bank ledger and he heard the phone ring again. "Angie, if that's them again, make sure to record it!"

He heard her pick up the phone and call out, "Daddy! It's Michael, they found her car!" WB raced back into the kitchen and snatched the receiver from Angie. "Michael, son, you found her car?"

"Yes sir," said Kelso, "Just wanted to call you guys before we called the police to-"

"NO!" shouted WB, "No cops!"

"Damn WB, I know you and Hyde aren't fond of cops, but-" Kelso started to say, but WB cut him off.

"It's not that, son," he said quickly, "We just got a call. Jackie's been kidnapped. They're holding her hostage until we make a ransom drop. They said they'd kill her if we call the police."

Kelso looked like he'd frozen to the phone booth. Hyde rapped on the glass with his knuckles to get his attention and made a sign that indicated he wanted to talk to WB. Kelso shook his head and then said, "WB, I'm going to bring her stuff back that's in the car. Maybe there's a clue in something in there. I'm not going to tell Hyde until we get back to your place. Make sure you hide the keys to any cars, I don't want him taking off half-cocked once he knows." He looked up and Hyde gestured impatiently for the phone again.

"Will do, thanks Michael."

Kelso hung up and Hyde flung the door to the phone booth open. "What the hell, Kelso?" he said, angrily, "I wanted to talk to WB!"

"I know man, but there's been some new info. Let's get back to the house. Amina and Eric will be back soon." Without another word, or waiting to hear Hyde's protest, he strode back to Angie's car.

Once back at the mansion, WB, Kelso and Hyde all sat around the kitchen table awaiting Eric and Amina's return. Angie had taken a Valium in their absence, and was laying down in her room. On the whole, Kelso thought it best that she wasn't too involved. Angie tended to freak out when things were out of her control.

The front door opened and Eric and Amina rushed in, both looking anxious for news. WB motioned for them to sit down at the table. He looked over at his son, and hoped like hell that what he was about to say wouldn't destroy him. "Okay, while you guys were out Angie and I got a call about Jackie."

"What!?" Hyde yelled, "Why didn't you say that when I got here?"

WB put his hand on Hyde's arm to calm him, "Son, please listen."

Hyde pursed his lips and WB continued, "Jackie's been kidnapped. They called and demanded $50,000 in ransom in 24 hours. We get the money together, they call in about 23 hours now, and we make the drop. Then they'll give us directions to where she is. If we call the cops, they'll kill her."

Blank shock showed on every face but Michael's. Hyde recovered somewhat and said, "So we need to get $50,000 together. What can I sell, what can I do? I think I still have about five grand in my account…."

WB held up a hand and smiled weakly, "No need. I've got that part covered. Now it's just a waiting game. I'll go by the bank tomorrow and pick it up. We'll be ready when they call again."

"WB, you said you recorded the ransom call?" asked Eric. WB nodded. "Let me take a listen, and please, everyone be as quiet as possible."

WB brought over the answering machine and laid it next to Eric. He rewound the machine and played the message over and over again. After about 30 playbacks, Hyde was close to losing his mind. _Leave her body in pieces…_ It kept running through his head. Finally, Eric slapped his hand on the table, "I think I've got it! WB, do you have a tape player that has variable speed recording?"

"Yeah, got one in the studio in the basement. Why?" he asked.

"I'm pretty sure they used a variable speed to disguise their voice. I think if I play the recording you made and adjust the speed we can get an idea of what they really sound like. Might be a way to figure out if we know the person or people who did this."

They all took off for the basement and watched as Eric and WB set up the equipment. It took a few tries, but finally a voice echoed in the sound booth. It was still a little distorted but the crazy, high-octave chirp of Caroline's voice was distinguishable. Kelso turned to Hyde, his face a mixture of disgust and anger. "So, nothing at all to do with you, huh?" and he stalked out of the sound booth. Hyde gripped the back of the chair and tried to breathe deep. Caroline had kidnapped Jackie. She'd burned down Grooves because he blanked on her name after sex, but why would she take Jackie now?

Eric stood up and Hyde could see his hands were clenched in tight fists, "Hyde, how did Caroline get out of jail? I thought you said she was caught after she torched your store."

Hyde looked up, "She was, man. I had no idea she was even out. The cops said she was picked up later that day and that's the last I heard about it!"

"Right," Eric said in a voice laced with skepticism, "And I suppose you have no idea where she could have stashed Jackie in the meantime? Or why she wants $50,000?"

"Who the fuck knows why that whack-a-doo does anything?" he shouted, "I slept with her ONCE, man, because I was lonely and horny. That doesn't make this my fault!"

Eric was angry enough to punch Hyde. "Keep telling yourself that, buddy," he spat at him, "What did you do, tell her you love her and then run off and marry-" but Amina cut him off.

"ERIC!" she shouted, stamping her foot. Both men turned and stared at her in shock. Neither had ever even heard her raise her voice. "Both of you need to be quiet, I can hear something else on the tape." She turned back to the control desk, muttering " _Children"_ under her breath.

"Play it once again, please," she asked WB. Amina had a far-off look on her face, like she was trying to see shapes in the acoustic tiles, when she suddenly snapped to attention. "Yessss!" she hissed, "Rewind once more please. My love, listen for this," and she tapped out a beat on the table with her fingernail.

WB rewound the tape and hit play. The faintest tinny tapping could be heard in the background. "What is that?" Hyde asked. Amina turned to him and smiled, "Morse code."

 _S-A-M… S-A-M… S-A-M_

Someone was signaling to them.

"Who is Sam?" asked Amina. Kelso and Eric looked at each other and then at Hyde. His face was a mask of fury.

" _You miss a single payment and I'm coming back for half your store, half your car, and half your life."_

Well, she'd made good on that, Jackie was the other half of his life, and Sam was holding it hostage. "Sam is my ex-wife. She must've convinced Caroline to help her do this, although I can't imagine how that happened or why Caroline would have agreed to it."

"Well, now we know the who," said Kelso, returning to the studio, "We just need to find out the where."

"Caroline's parents still live in Point Place," Eric said, "They bought Jackie's old house." Everyone looked stunned at this piece of information. "Jackie told me when she got the final papers after it sold," he said, shrugging, "At the time we just had a laugh about it. They low-balled her on the price pretty hard, but she had to accept the offer. She said it figures that on top of everything else, Crazy Caroline would be living in her old bedroom."

Hyde's mind flew back to that warm June night he'd thrown a rock through Jackie's old window. His heart had felt so broken, he'd missed her so terribly, that in his anger and hurt he'd screamed at the night as he launched the projectile, " _I love you! There! I said it! Just please come back, baby! I love you!"_

A sick, swooping feeling was encapsulating his stomach. He'd set this whole damn thing in motion. It didn't matter one iota that he hadn't meant to, or that Murphy's Law was hell-bent on proving to him that it was true. The plain truth was that, but for his recklessness, Jacqueline Burkhardt would be safe right now.

WB interrupted Hyde's missive, "Okay, I've got an idea. Kelso, your old Sergeant still willing to help you out?" Kelso nodded. "Alright then, I'll phone Red from the office line and Michael, you phone the Sergeant. Get them both to head over to Caroline's parents and see if they know where she is. My P.I. was keeping tabs on Sam, and last report I got was she was in Vegas. So I doubt she'd have access to a hiding spot for a hostage."

WB ran upstairs to make his phone call as Eric and Kelso turned to Hyde. They were both about to let him have it when something happened that shocked them both out of their anger. "Goddamnit," he said, "this is all my fault." He turned to them and they saw his blue eyes were clearer, stronger, than they had been just a few moments ago. "I need your help, guys. I need to get her back safe and whole." He pulled a ring out of his pocket and held it up to show them, "I need her to know that she's the only person I'll ever love, even if I don't come close to deserving her. You guys have to believe me, I never want to hurt her again."

Eric felt Amina's hand slide up his shoulder and rest there. He looked at her beautiful face, the warm brown eyes that sparkled up at him, and he understood. Jackie loved Hyde the way Amina loved him, with love that spun outward from them and engulfed the person lucky enough to receive it. He looked back at Hyde and nodded, "Alright, man. I believe you."

Kelso looked at Hyde and said, "We all want to get her back, man, but I hear you. I know you love her." He turned and headed up the stairs to call Sergeant Kennedy.

Hyde looked at Amina, "And you, Amina? What do you think?"

Amina looked at him in a way Eric hadn't yet seen. It was disconcerting to see her face look so fierce. "I believe you love her, Steven. But you need to prove that you are more than words to her."

"I will, Amina. I will," he said.

She nodded her head curtly and swept from the room, her long brown ponytail swinging behind her. Eric leaned over to Hyde and muttered, "It's always the tiny ones that scare the hell outta me."

"You got that right, brother," said Hyde, and they both shuddered a little as they headed up stairs to join the rest.

Kelso and WB joined them in the kitchen and relayed the news. Sergeant Kennedy was going to pick up Red and they were headed over to the Pearson's house. If they got any news, they'd follow up on it. WB asked Maria to make some sandwiches and they all gathered around to wait for more news. As they ate, each one was thinking of their pixie-friend and fervently hoping she was holding on.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Jackie groaned and tried to angle her body towards the wall. Her tapping hadn't gone unnoticed. She knew whoever was on the other end of the phone probably hadn't heard her, but it had been her only shot. She'd used the bracelets of the handcuffs to tap out S-A-M in Morse code as loudly as she could and as often as she could until she heard the door to her prison open.

Sam had proceeded to kick her over and over until Jackie heard an ominous cracking sound coming from her right rib. Tears streaming down her face she'd managed to turn enough that the kicks were mostly landing on her kidneys now. The blonde bimbo was in a towering rage. Jackie could only just make out strings of words between the shrieks and snarls-

"Stupid little bitch!"

"Not smarter than me!"

"Going to make you pay!"

She heard a scraping sound from behind her and turned her head. Sam was dragging in what looked like a portable record player attached to a stethoscope. She placed it next to Jackie and bent low so she could see her face, "Know what this is, Princess?" she said.

"Your makeshift vibrator?" Jackie said, trying not to breathe too deeply.

"Cute, but no," she said, and she flipped a power switch. The machine made a low continuous hum that set Jackie's nerves on edge. "This is an electroshock machine. I just turn the dial," she turned it slowly to the left so that the humming from the machine grew louder, "to up the BZZZZZ, and then I put these little paddles on your head to make all the voices go away!" She turned the dial back down to the first setting. "How about we see how much the princess can take before she pisses herself? Caroline told me the first time they did it to her, it felt like someone broke her leg."

Jackie's eyes were wide with fear and panic. She tried to wriggle away from Sam, but she couldn't move in any substantial direction. She heard the humming get closer and then felt like someone was stomping directly on her chest. Her body spasmed and arched completely out of her control. She could feel the fire race down her legs and arms, and then suddenly she felt a sharp jab as the paddles were withdrawn. Choking on tears and gasping for breath she felt every nerve on her body explode as the pain intensified in the aftermath of the shock.

"Hmm, guess 5 was too much for Miss Priss!" Sam squeaked happily, "Well, live and learn! Just remember, Jackie, I'm holding all the cards. Anymore bullshit from you, and I'll crank that fucker to 10 and let it fry your brain to mush." She snapped the door shut and Jackie heard her turn on the TV in the next room.

Trying to breathe as deeply as her broken rib would allow, she focused on calming herself. She stifled her sobs and focused on the pinpricks of light dancing behind her eyelids. Soon, she was breathing steadily in and out. She opened her eyes and glanced around the room. The electroshock machine was emitting a faint glow in the room that she hadn't had before. She noted the window was covered with several thick blankets. There was a closet across from her mattress, and she was handcuffed by the legs and hands to a low bar that ran around the lower perimeter of the room. _I don't even want to know what this is supposed to be for…_

She saw there were outlets on every wall, and the machine was plugged into the one nearest the closet. No chance of reaching it from where she was. She tried to angle the handcuffs toward the glow of light to examine them more closely. There was something almost familiar about them…

A smile formed on her lips. She had an idea, but for it to work, she'd need to execute it flawlessly. She closed her eyes and began to lay the plan out in her head. _White always moves first…_

* * *

Point Place

Burkhardt Mansion

The squad car pulled up to the long driveway outside the former Burkhardt Mansion and Red and Sergeant Kennedy peered up at its imposing façade. When Jack and Pamela had lived there, the house had glowed like a Christmas tree at night. Pamela liked chandeliers and ornamental lights that sparkled, and she always seemed to be "entertaining" someone at the house. These days, however, it belonged to the Pearson family and they were clearly more 'Kennedy' than 'Monroe'. A single window was illuminated in the downstairs area, where Red knew the formal dining room was, and not a single outside light was on. It gave the mansion a stuffy, gloomy appearance.

The men climbed the front steps and rang the doorbell. A housekeeper, dressed in traditional attire, answered the door. "Good evening, Miss," said Sergeant Kennedy, "May we speak to Mr. or Mrs. Pearson?"

"Just one moment," said the housekeeper, and she closed the door to inform her boss.

A slight man with graying hair, wearing a pale blue pullover and slacks came to the door. "Good evening, officers, I'm Walt Pearson. Is there something you need?" His tone was polite, but guarded.

"Mr. Pearson, my name is Sergeant Kennedy. We met at your daughter's arraignment earlier this year."

"Ah, yes, that's right. Now I remember," he said.

"Yes, well, sir there's no easy way to say this, but we need to locate Caroline. Again."

"Why? She can't have done anything?" said a clipped female voice. Red saw a slender woman with dark hair come up behind Walt, her eyes were cold and her face hard. She reminded him of Edna, if Edna had ever worn pearls and cashmere.

"Actually, ma'am, we think she may be involved in a kidnapping."

"What?" exclaimed Walt, "Someone's kidnapped Caroline?"

"Not exactly, sir," said Kennedy, fumbling with his hat, "we think she may have kidnapped someone else."

"Ridiculous!" said Mrs. Pearson, "Caroline is a very ill young lady. She couldn't have kidnapped anybody!"

"Seems like she was able to commit arson pretty well," said Red, stepping out from the shadows. "She burned down my son's store like a champ."

"She was found not-guilty by reason of insanity," sniffed Mrs. Pearson, "and we complied fully with the judge's orders."

"So, Caroline is at a treatment facility?" Kennedy queried.

"The judge said she had to undergo treatment, he didn't specify at a facility."

"So she's here" said Red, hoping to get to the bottom of this.

"Not exactly," said Walt.

"DAMMIT!" Red exploded, out of patience, "Where the hell is your loony daughter?! She torched Steven's store and now my daughter is missing! Now somebody better tell me where she is or my foot's gonna send a search party up your ass!"

Mr. Pearson's mouth dropped open and Mrs. Pearson looked like she might faint. Finally, Walt said, "We have a cabin on Pewaukee Lake. We paid a therapist to take her there and supervise her, continue her treatments. He sends us regular updates every month and he's under strict orders not to let her leave the house. I don't see how she could've done what you're accusing her of!"

Sergeant Kennedy looked at Red and then back at the Pearsons, "Look, if everything checks out, this'll just be a friendly check-up from the local police in Waukesha. If she's not there, Mr. Pearson," and now his voice grew stronger and more stern, "then I suggest you hire yourself the best attorney you can."

He put on his patrol hat and stepped off the porch. Red followed, sparing one last look of contempt at the people who'd dared to call themselves parents. As he slid into the passenger seat of Kennedy's patrol car, he saw the big man turn towards him. "Listen, Red, I hate to tell you this, but I can't force the Waukesha police to go out to that cabin without a warrant. Even if I could persuade them to, if the doctor or Caroline refuses to let them in, they can't go in."

Red sat in quiet thought for a moment, "Well, guess you can only do what you can do, Kevin. At least we can send this on to WB, maybe he's got some buddies in Waukesha who can help." Kevin nodded sadly and started the car. Red had no intention of letting this go. If his daughter was trapped in a house with the crazy arsonist, he was getting in there come hell or high water. He just didn't think it was the kind of plan he should relay to the Point Place P.D.

* * *

Milwaukee

WB's place

Eric and Amina were asleep in the guest room. It was close to midnight and nobody had called yet. Kelso was napping on the sofa in the den, and Angie was still sleeping with Prince Valium. Hyde kept turning the details of what had happened over and over in his mind. He was angry enough to tear Sam into a thousand tiny pieces, but his fear was reserved for Caroline. The girl was completely unhinged, and from the sound of it, determined to make him pay for his transgressions. He didn't want to imagine what she could be doing to Jackie.

He heard a loud knock at the front door and leapt from his chair and sprinted to the door. Red Foreman was standing in the doorway, and he looked ready to kill someone. "Steven," he said, and stepped into the house, "round up all the dumbasses and WB. We're heading to Pewaukee Lake."

Kelso had sat bolt upright at the sound of Red's voice and followed the two of them into the kitchen. Hyde went upstairs to the guest room and roused Amina and Foreman. WB came up front from his office and before too long, the kitchen was full of people. Red looked at all of them and said, "Caroline's parent's told us she was at their cabin in Pewaukee Lake, supposedly under a doctor's care. Now, if she's there and the doctor corroborates her story, we're going to need to come up with some good evidence to get a warrant to search the place. If she's there alone, we can probably search the place without her permission as she's supposed to be under constant care."

Kelso looked at the map and found Pewaukee Lake. "Any idea where the cabin is on the lake?" he asked, "It's not exactly a small lake."

"Far western edge," Red stated, "Should be the only one, too. They bought it for the 'privacy' and seclusion."

"Creepy," muttered Eric.

"You've got no idea, son," Red replied.

"What about Sam?" Hyde interjected. They'd all forgotten about how she might play into this.

"We'll deal with her once we know Jackie's there," Red said, "WB, I think you and Angie should wait here. If Sam tries to call early to arrange a drop and we haven't gotten to Jackie, we don't want to miss it."

"Sounds good, Red," he agreed.

They all looked solemnly at each other and then, as one, moved out to the driveway. Red and Kelso in one car, Amina, Eric and Hyde in another. Each whispered a silent prayer to the midnight sky that they could rescue Jackie without anyone getting hurt. _Nearly there, kiddo. We're coming to get you._

* * *

The Lake Cabin

Jackie managed to fish a bobby pin from her hair without making too much noise. She was sure that Sam had fallen asleep in front of the TV. No footsteps or loud noises came from the room outside. She tried to angle the pin into the keyhole of the handcuffs, but her hands kept blocking the light she needed to see. Finally, after twisting her body painfully to the left, she was able to insert the pin and began to work on popping the lock on the cuffs. She had absolutely no idea how to do this, but it seemed to work on TV. After several minutes of randomly pushing and pulling and jangling the pin, she heard a pop and a click from the cuffs. Slowly, she eased the link off her right hand, careful to not make too much noise. Without hesitation, she flipped her body around so that her light source shone on her feet. Two sets of handcuffs had been used to chain her feet to the pipe. It took several more minutes to get both her feet loose and by the time she was done, she was nearly faint from the pain in her ribs.

She looked around the room and found the paddles for the electroshock machine. This next part was going to be tricky. If she wanted it to work, she'd need to time it just right. As quietly as she could, she slid across the floor to the door and hung the paddles so that they both touched the brass doorknob. She hooked one set of her leg cuffs to the paddle prongs and then attached her handcuffs to the leg cuffs. The links were long enough to reach down to the perimeter pipe, and Jackie secured them.

 _I just need to draw a big enough current. Make it so she can't see me get out._

She stood up slowly and tested her balance. Her right side was on fire from the broken rib, and she knew she had bruises blossoming all over her back, but she still felt like she could run if she had to. She pulled the blankets back gently from the window and looked out. She was on a lake somewhere. She could see the moon shining off its surface. _It's August. Water's probably swimmable. I could probably hide in the lake, or swim to some other cabin…_

She mentally crossed off the idea as she remembered how cold Lake Michigan had been on July 4th. Even if it was 70 degrees in the day, it was damn sure colder at midnight. No, she'd have to take her chances on foot. She looked out again, and saw headlights coming around the lake road. She sank back down to the floor. It looked like her chance was coming. She crawled across the floor to the mattress and covered the machine's faceplate with her hand. She rested the other on top of the dial. She flicked the power switch on and waited. _Let's see how you do with 10, Stripperella._

* * *

Caroline mashed the accelerator to the floor as she careened around the hairpin curves towards the lake house. She'd been spying from her perch in the backyard when she saw them pull out a map and point to Pewaukee Lake. _What the fuck?! How did they find out?_

It must've been Trailer Trash Barbie. She probably fucked up the ransom call. Well, that was her problem. Right now, Caroline needed to get back to the cabin and grab Jackie before they could rescue her. She'd work out a new plan to get her Steven back later.

She'd gotten maybe a few minutes head start on them, but she wasn't counting on their disregard for speed limits. It wasn't long before she'd spotted two sets of headlights in the distance, and she knew they weren't far behind. Throwing the car in park, she jumped out and raced to the front door. Charging in she screamed, "WAKE UP, DUMBASS!" and watched Sam fall out of her chair and onto the floor.

Sam jumped up and came nose to nose with Caroline, "What the fuck is your problem, Dolly Demented?"

Caroline reached out and twisted Sam's nipple. Hard. As she shrieked and dropped to the floor, Caroline said, "They know where we are and they aren't far behind me, we need to get out of here. NOW!" She let go and waited for Sam to stand up. "Where did you put her?" she demanded.

Sam marched over to the bedroom off the hall and said, "I chained her up in here, just like you said!"

Jackie held her breath, and glanced behind her, moving her feet away from the pipe. She waited…

Sam grabbed the doorknob, "Look, she's right in-"

Jackie heard the doorknob turn and waited for the crack of light to shine in, then she cranked the knob all the way to the left.

 _BANG! POP! And everything went dark in the house._

Jackie staggered to her feet and pulled the plug for the EST machine. At the door she yanked the paddles from their perch and pulled the door open. Sam had been blown backward from the shock and into Caroline. Without stopping, Jackie made a break for the door. She heard a crazed, animal-like scream and her heart began to beat so fast she was sure it would explode. She could see headlights up ahead on the road. She just needed to make it to the street. She felt a huge blow to her back and tumbled to the ground. Caroline had tackled her.

She kicked and flailed, but Caroline landed a solid punch to Jackie's ribs that left her unable to breathe. She could feel herself being dragged across the yard back into the house.

"NO!" Caroline yelled at her, "You can't have him! He loves me! He said so! He wants me back!"

Jackie's mind was reeling. She was being hauled back in to the dark house. She saw the headlights from the car get closer. They were almost there… Her hand seized the doorjamb in a death grip. She knew she had to hang on. If Caroline got the door closed, she would never get out alive.

* * *

Steven's heart froze. He saw Caroline dragging something into the house. No… she was dragging _someone_ into the house.

"JACKIE!" he screamed, pointing at a lifeless figure on the front porch. Caroline almost had her in the house.

Eric stopped the car and they all began to run towards the door. He could see Jackie holding on to the doorframe with all her strength. Then, as if in slow motion, she lifted her head and locked eyes with Steven. She opened her mouth to call to him, as a foot came smashing across head. "NO!" Steven screamed again. Caroline dragged Jackie inside and slammed the door closed, locking it just as Eric and Steven slammed into it.

Red and Kelso were bringing up the rear, both looking around at the completely dark house. "We need to find another way in," Red shouted, "grab the flashlights out of the car and start looking. Kelso, you come with me around the back."

Hyde banged on the door, "Caroline! You need to let her go! She didn't do anything to you!"

An insane laugh rang through the door. "She took EVERYTHING from me! We had a beautiful night together! You wanted me, I know you did! Then you came to my house and told me you loved me! And I loved you too, baby.." he could hear her moving around the front of the house now. "I was going to get you out of that drunken stupor you were in, but then she SWOOPS in and 'rescues' you before I could find you! IT'S NOT FAIR! YOU… SAID… YOU… LOVED… ME!" Her voice had reached a frequency only bats were likely to hear at this point.

"Caroline!" he roared, "Let. Her. Go!"

"NO!" she screamed back, "I won't let her win again! First she took Fez, now you! If I can't have the life I want, she can't have it either!"

Hyde backed up and ran at the door. It held firm. He tried kicking it open, but it wouldn't budge. Then he heard Amina scream. From inside the darkened house, he could see flames tickling the windows.

 _Oh my god… She's going to burn Jackie alive!_

Red and Kelso had circled around to the back of the house and were trying to break down the back door when they heard Amina scream. Racing back around to the front they saw the flames erupt from the windows. The house was going up like kindling.

For the first time in his life, Red didn't know what he could do. He tried to get close to a window but he couldn't get within a few feet before the heat drove him back. He heard his son's voice shout, "Dad! Look out!" and he dove out of the way as Amina rammed the Vista Cruiser into the cabin and punched a hole in the wall beside the door. She threw the car in reverse and backed out quickly. Hyde rushed in and saw Caroline laying over Jackie. The car's impact had thrown her back from the wall.

Hyde threw her off and picked his girl up, racing out of the inferno to the front yard. Kelso ran in and retrieved Caroline, wisely handcuffing the unconscious woman to the mailbox post. Eric ran in last and came back out, hauling Sam like a firefighter. He dumped her unceremoniously on the ground next to Caroline.

The wail of sirens could be heard in the distance and Kelso started to jog up the road to meet them. Meanwhile, Hyde knelt down with Jackie still limp in his arms. He brushed her hair away from her face, watching a few pieces fall off where her hair had been singed. He patted her cheek gently, "Jacks! Jackie!". He laid her across the grass and felt for a pulse. It was weak, but there. "Hold on, baby," he said, "Help is almost here." He kept his eyes on her and squeezed her hand. Finally, he felt a tap on his shoulder. A paramedic was there, and he was motioning for Hyde to move out of the way. Hyde obliged, keeping his gaze focused on Jackie. As the EMTs moved her onto the stretcher he caught a glint of something shiny in the grass.

Her locket was laying there. The chain broken as though it had been ripped from her neck. He picked it up and examined it. The pictures inside were burnt away, but the locket on the whole was untarnished. He pocketed it and watched as they loaded her into the ambulance. Two other paramedics were attending to Caroline and Sam. Kelso was speaking to the police, along with Red. Eric was holding Amina back, as she looked ready to begin eviscerating the two blondes with a rusty spoon. Sam had regained consciousness and was trying to put distance between herself and Amina, while at the same time being read her rights by a cop. Caroline was still out cold, and Hyde felt like giving her a good kick.

"Excuse me!" called one of the paramedics, "Are any of you family for this lady?"

"Yeah!" they all answered in unison.

The paramedic looked bemused, "Well, only one of you can ride with us, so choose and let's go- she's in pretty bad shape."

"Hyde, man," said Eric, now struggling mightily to contain Amina, "that's your cue."

Hyde jumped in the back of the ambulance, just as Amina wriggled free from Eric and launched herself on Samantha. Hyde watched the lithe little Bosnian land a few solid punches to Samantha's nose and face before being lifted off by Eric and another officer. He chuckled to himself; never mess with a Bosnian chick.

* * *

Milwaukee General Hospital

August 19th

Jackie's dreams were confusing. Her body felt sunburned, but she was stuck in a dark cave. Her chest and sides ached and her muscles felt like they had been branded on the inside. She saw a glow of light, muted, as though on a radio, and she walked towards it. Reaching her hand out she made to touch the light and… _BANG!_

Her eyes flew open and she screamed. Suddenly the darkness was replaced by painfully bright, white lights. Her mind raced in a panic. _Where am I? What's happened?_ She heard a door open and a voice called out to her, "Jackie? Baby, it's okay. I'm here."

She tried to sit up, but the searing pain in her right side caused her to cry out in agony.

"Jackie, love, don't move," Steven said. He came into her field of vision and put a hand on her forehead. "Doll, you have a few broken ribs and you got first degree burns on your body. Try to lay still."

She looked at him and tried to speak, but her throat wouldn't make sounds come out. "You had some smoke inhalation, and they said you wouldn't be able to talk for a bit," he said. Tears of frustration were welling up in her eyes. She needed to talk to him. She needed someone to tell her what had happened and why!

He looked down at her and saw the frustration and anger in her green eyes. She needed someone to fill her in so she could begin to process this. "You want to know what happened?" he asked her.

She nodded. "All of it?" he asked again. She gave him a pointed look that clearly said, "Yes. All of it."

He sighed, "Okay, doll." And he launched into the story. The police had recovered the body of Caroline's therapist in the burned out cabin. Once she'd been questioned, it was revealed that he'd been sexually abusing her in the cabin since nobody had been there to stop him. He'd gotten complacent, and one night she'd managed to get hold of a large kitchen knife. That was the end of that part. Once free from supervision, she'd begun stalking Hyde and following him. Occasionally she'd helped him to his car when he'd been too drunk to walk, although Hyde remembered none of it. Samantha had caught her one night, having come back into town to try and get the rest of her "alimony". She'd waited for the right moment, watching as Jackie had let Hyde back in, and then fed the story to Caroline. All they'd had to do was wait for the right opportunity.

Hyde stopped and watched as Jackie's face went from passive to angry. He reached down to cup her cheek in his hand, but she angrily slapped it away. "Jacks?" he asked, confused. He reached for her hand, but she jerked it away. Angry tears were sliding down the corners of her eyes and back into her hair. "Jackie, I'm so sorry," he said, trying like hell to keep his composure, "Please, let me help you."

She turned her neck to face him and drew in a deep breath. In barely more than whisper she said, "Get. Out," and then turned her face away from him. He went to the other side of her bed and looked at her, "Jackie, you can be as mad at me as you want. I deserve it all. But I'm not leaving you."

She simply stared at the ceiling and let the tears fall. He stood and watched, wishing like hell that he could read her mind. After a few minutes, he sat down at the end of the bed and felt her feet. They were ice cold. He got up and went over to a bag that Amina had brought with her that morning. She'd packed a pair of fuzzy socks Jackie had gotten last Christmas and supposedly loved. He walked back over and lifted the blanket to put them on her. She made no motion to prevent him, so he looked up and saw that she'd closed her eyes again. He breathed a sigh of relief. The doctor had said that sleep would be her best recovery right now.

He yawned and crawled up next to her on the hospital bed. When she was asleep, she didn't mind him so much. Almost reflexively, her body turned so that she was laying on her left side, with one leg curled over him. He kissed the top of her head gently and wrapped his arm around her back. Her face twisted in pain, and he quickly removed his hand. The back of her gown fell away and he saw livid black and purple bruises covering her whole back. Forcing the bile back down his throat he reminded himself that Sam and Caroline were being arraigned soon and that both had been advised to take a plea deal. Hopefully, Jackie wouldn't have to deal with a trial.

The doctor came in a few hours later and told Hyde that she'd need to be evaluated by the hospital's neurologist before she could leave.

"Why?" Hyde had asked.

"We found evidence that they used an electroshock machine on her. At high voltages, depending on the condition she was in, it could have lasting impacts on her brain and her heart," the attending physician had explained.

He'd held on to her a little more tightly after that, hoping that whatever grace had been given to him during his hospital stay would pass on to her as well. Eric and Amina showed up as well, both eager to fill Hyde in on what they'd found out from the hearing.

"Okay, so get this," Eric said excitedly, "The fire investigator said that it looked like Jackie rigged the entire room she was held captive in as a giant stun gun."

Hyde looked back blankly, "She did what?"

"She basically took that EST machine they shocked her with and managed to rig it so that when Sam touched the doorknob, it shocked her with the full force of the EST machine. She'd also connected the doorknob to a railing pipe, which effectively created a massive power surge. It popped open the main breaker for the house and that's why it was all dark when we drove up. She was trying to escape."

Hyde looked down at his little superhero. "She's a genuine badass, isn't she?" he said in awe.

"Absolutely," said Amina, "We saw Samantha in court today. She looked like a panda bear with her two big black eyes!"

Hyde gave her a high-five. She'd earned that shit. "What about Caroline?" he asked.

Amina continued, "Well, the judge said that she was not adjudicated properly in the last trial, so he has placed her in the jail with no bond. Her parents were there and he yelled at them quite a bit. It seems they 'misunderstood' the last judge's instructions. So he has told them he will leave no chance for that this time."

Hyde gave a sigh of relief. Jackie stirred and Hyde put a finger to his lips to signal for quiet. Eric grinned, but obeyed. He was still a little pissed that Hyde's antics had gotten Jackie into this, but he had to admit that Steven had been nothing short of a doting boyfriend since then. He just wondered how Jackie was when she was awake…

As if to answer his question, her eyes fluttered open and she tried to focus on where she was. He saw the confusion and panic sweep her face, and he heard Hyde say a familiar phrase to her, "It's okay, doll. I'm here" before watching the mix of frustration and anger seep into her.

It had been the same cycle off and on for the last 24 hours. The doctors said she suffered a concussion, and that it could take a few days for her short-term memory to return. Hyde allowed her to berate him and push him away each time, knowing that he'd get to explain more fully once her brain had healed.

She opened her mouth and before he could tell her to save her voice, a raspy whisper escaped her throat, "I told you to leave."

While a part of him was relieved that her memory was starting to retain things again, he wished it hadn't chosen that part to latch onto. "Jackie," he said softly, "I know you're mad at me. I know you won't stop being mad for awhile, but I'm still not going to leave you." He fixed a resolute look on his face and squeezed the hand that had been resting on his chest.

Amina's eyes flew to the beeping monitors next to Jackie as the shrill alarm sounded. Her heart rate was skyrocketing. "Steven," she barked, "leave. Eric, go with him." Hyde jumped out of the bed, but didn't make an attempt to leave. Jackie's face was turning red and she seemed to be struggling to breathe. Her mismatched eyes were widening with fear and pain. "GO!" Amina screamed, "Now!". And Hyde felt Eric pull him out of the room as a nurse and doctor rushed in.

"Man, let me go!" Hyde said as he struggled with Eric, "I need to be in there with her!"

Eric pinned Hyde to the wall, noticing that his friend had gotten considerably stronger while he'd been away, "No way, Hyde," he said, "Let the doctors take care of her first. Let them stabilize her." He felt Hyde's muscles release some of their tension and he let go of his arms. "I get that you're upset right now. We're all worried about her. I know it's hard, but you need to do a better job of fucking listening. If she tells you to leave, you leave. If she asks you to stay, you stay. Fuck what you want or what you think is best. You need to focus on her needs for once."

The doctor came out and looked at Hyde and Eric, "She's stabilized. Look, I don't want to have to put restrictions on her room, but if I have to I will. We took a look at the EST machine they used on her and I had the cardiologist review her ECGs. Her heart muscles show signs of damage from the shock. Since she's young and healthy we feel that her body will probably repair the damage on its own over time, but inducing tachycardia right now could cause her to go into cardiac arrest. She needs to keep her heart rate and blood pressure down. Understand?"

Hyde and Eric nodded. "Good, now the young lady in there did a good job of calming her down. I suggest you both stay out here until she gives you the okay," and with that, the doctor turned on his heel and walked back down the corridor.

Hyde sank into a chair and put his head in his hands. "Why am I always hurting her, man?"

Eric sat down next to him and patted his shoulder, "If I knew the answer, I'd have told you years ago. Maybe none of this would've happened. Look, you guys will get through this. Let's just give Amina time to work her magic. She has a way with these things."

Both men sat back and folded their arms. Hyde didn't care if he had to sit here for a week, he wasn't leaving until he was sure that he and Jackie were going to be okay.

* * *

"Keep breathing slow and easy, Lije," Amina said softly. She held her friend's hand while she watched the heart rate monitor. She'd seen the numbers rise rapidly, but the 230 bpm alarm had triggered an automatic response in her. She knew that the increased rate could be serious for someone in Jackie's condition. Her instincts had been sound, and she was glad she'd trusted them.

Jackie fixed Amina with a look that plainly said, "Help me. I'm scared."

Amina smiled gently and walked over to the side table. She retrieved a blue journal from her purse and a pen. "I'm sorry I took this, Lije, but we were trying to find you and I thought it might be useful. Please know I would never willingly reveal your secrets unless I had to."

Jackie nodded and took the journal gratefully. She turned it to the first blank page and wrote- _Why am I so angry?_

Amina read it and resumed holding her friend's hand. "Lije, I can only speak from what I know. So let me say this- my mama and my grandmother, they both survived unspeakable wars in Bosnia. My mama was even a soldier for the resistance. She had to do many things during that time that would seem impossible to anyone who knew her after. But sometimes, late at night, I would see her awake in our garden. She had a small axe she kept back there. I would watch her, hacking and chopping at this huge tree in our garden. One time, my papa caught me watching her. I asked him the same thing- Why is mama so angry at the tree? He told me this:

 _Sometimes, the things we must do to survive, the things we must endure, they are too much for our hearts to hold. We feel broken and damaged, not whole. And it makes us angry that we cannot mend ourselves, that the things that broke us were not in our control. The anger is because we feel helpless. But do not worry, my love, your mama feels helpless much less now than she did during the war. In time, she will realize that she was always strong, and always loved. When the love comes back, then the heart heals. She will get there, Amina. There is a freedom in forgiveness. She must give it to herself first._

"And so it is with you, Lije. You had no power over the things that happened to you, so you are angry, and that is okay. Do not be too hard on yourself."

Jackie wiped away a few tears and scribbled again- _I want to love Steven, but I am so MAD at him!_

Amina nodded and a furious look swept across her face. She took a deep breath and her beautiful face relaxed into calm once more. "I know what you mean, Lije. But for his stupidity, you would never have been hurt. Even I am finding it difficult to not curse at him. Let me just say this- you alone have the right to decide if and when you take him back. And we will support you no matter what."

Another scribble- _How long until I can go home?_

"The doctors want to make sure you are stable before we leave. I think another day or two."

 _Can you explain all this to Steven? That I want him and don't at the same time?_

"I will try, Lije. You want me to do that right now?"

 _Please._ _I need him to understand. And right now I need him to hold me._

Amina rose and walked out into the hall. She spotted Eric and Steven occupying the two chairs nearest Jackie's room and strode towards them. Hyde opened his mouth to ask her something, but she forestalled his question by raising her hands up. "Steven, I need to talk to you," she said and she glanced at Eric, "alone."

Eric raised his eyebrows, but nodded and said, "Alright, then. I'll just go get some more coffee…" He set off down the hallway, and Amina knew she'd have to repeat this conversation later.

She turned to Hyde and gestured to the chairs. As they sat, she saw he looked anxious and upset. "Steven, Lije asked me to talk to you. She is in a difficult place right now," she pointed to her heart, "in here. She is angry."

"At me?" he asked defeatedly, lowering his head into his hands.

She nodded, "In part. Imagine how hard this is for her. Please. She was kidnapped, tortured, nearly killed. The women who did this, they did these things because they were involved with you. She feels angry for being punished for _your_ mistakes. And I believe she feels angry because she still loves you," she paused as his head jerked up and he stared at her, "very much. She wants you near here so she can feel loved again, and at the same time she does not want you around because it brings back the anger."

"Then what do I do?" he pleaded. _All I want is to make her happy._

Amina placed her hand on his and squeezed it reassuringly. "Right now, she needs you to hold her. If that changes, and she needs you to give her room then you do that. You understand?"

Hyde nodded, "Can I go in and see her?"

Amina smiled, "Yes, of course. If she starts to become distressed, please come get me. Do not try to calm her down yourself, and do not issue demands to her, just come find me."

Hyde rose and hugged Amina, "Thank you so much. Looks like I owe you twice." She patted his back and let him go into the room without replying. He opened the door quietly and poked his head in. He saw Jackie trying to sit up, a pained expression on her face. He quickly strode over and held a finger up to her, "Hang on, please babe. I'll adjust the bed so you can sit up," he paused, "if that's what you want."

She nodded and lay back, closing her eyes. He reached down and pulled the latch for the bed, gently easing it into a sitting position. He watched her face as she pulled a hand to her right side, quick shallow breaths accompanying the change in position. Once he had it to a good angle, he secured the bed and asked, "That good or do you want to lay back down?"

She gave the thumbs up and opened her eyes. They were wet with tears, but from pain or emotion, he couldn't tell. He reached over and cupped her face with his hands, leaning his forehead down to touch hers. "I love you so much, Jacqueline," he said quietly and sincerely.

She put her hands up to cover his. _There is a freedom in forgiveness._ She wasn't there yet, but knowing she would be was enough right now. "I love you, too," she rasped. She felt his lips meet hers, and the gentlest kiss she'd ever received seemed to break loose the dam of emotions. As he pulled away from her, her heart felt like it would rip open. She let all the fear, the anger, the hurt, the pain and the sadness from the past 48 hours out. Her whole body shook with the force of the sobs, and she moved to bury her face in her pillow. Instead, she felt his strong arms hold her close to him, his one hand tracing the pattern of familiar circles on her aching back.

It was several minutes before she began to feel the sobs subsiding. The years of pent-up anguish felt emptied now, and she could see the evidence on Steven's shirt. She croaked out a hasty, "I'm sorry," before he bent down and kissed her again. Less gently, but still with tenderness, and said, "No problem. I have a few in my bag." He lifted the tear soaked shirt off his body, and her heart did a small flutter as she saw his naked chest and arms. Averting her eyes, she tried to gently scratch her skin under then hospital gown. The material felt rough and coarse on her burned and tender skin. Once she was sure he was dressed again, she looked up to see he was holding a familiar black T-shirt out to her. "I thought you might want something softer to sleep in," he said, "I'll just turn around while you change."

He'd faced the wall, waiting for her to signal him, when he heard her tap on the bed rail. He turned around and saw her looking at him with a sheepish expression on her face. She gestured to the blue journal and he saw where she'd written- _I can't lift my arms over my head…_

He tried not to grin and said, "I got ya, babe. And I swear I will absolutely try not to enjoy this." He let her take a jab at him, and then loosened the hospital gown's back tie. It fell forward, and he saw instantly that he needn't have made the promise. The violent bruising that he'd glimpsed on her back extended to the front around her broken ribs. Angry red welts from the EST paddles had burned their marks into her skin. He fixed a smile on his face as he gently pulled the shirt over her head and helped her arms through. He didn't want her to think she wasn't beautiful to him.

She gazed at his hands, which had lingered with hers after helping her put the shirt on. Tugging on them she patted the bed beside her. He lay down next to her, and she assumed her normal position. Picking up her journal she wrote- _I missed you._

"I missed you too, doll."

 _-Tell me about Texas_

"Well, I was just outside the town called Hunt. It's really beautiful, Jacks. I don't think words will ever do it justice. Lots of rolling hills, green trees, and the river is crystal clear. I spent some time working at a ranch for this couple, and they were really helpful with my recovery. I guess I talked a lot about you, because they asked me to bring you down there sometime."

- _I'd like that._

He laughed, "Thought you didn't like Texans?"

- _Maybe I'll like these Texans!_

"You would, doll. Bunny and Colt are good people. I was actually planning on-" he stopped suddenly. It was like there was an elephant in the room that only he could see. He didn't know how long it would be until a proposal would feel right for her.

- _What?_

"What? Oh, sorry babe, just lost my train of thought. What else is on your mind?"

- _I want to go home._

He kissed the top of her head, "I know, babe, I know. The second they give the okay, I'll have you out of here. I'll drive you straight back to Evanston."

 _-What about you?_

"What do you mean?"

 _-Are you going back to Point Place?_

"No. I need to start over, somewhere I won't be tempted to remake my old life. I'll probably stay with WB for a while, at least until I figure out my employment situation."

- _No more record stores?_

"That's up to WB. But honestly, I think I'd feel better trying something different for a bit. I never really stretched myself too much before. Bunny and Colt, though, they made me try stuff I'd never done. I wasn't always good at it, but I learned. I'll figure it out, Jacks, don't worry," and he squeezed her arm lightly.

- _Will you come visit me?_

"As often as you want," he said sincerely, "It's only an hour's drive, and Kelso said I could crash at his place on the weekends if you wanted to spend time away from school or at the lake."

Her hands shook slightly and she seemed to be debating on whether or not to write her next question. Finally, she took a deep breath and wrote it out slowly and deliberately.

 _-Did you tell Caroline you loved her?_

He would've preferred any other question to that one, but he knew what he had to do. "Yes and no, babe." She shot him a furious look and he hurriedly continued, "I had a one-night stand with her back in January, and she burned the store down. You know how… bad I got after that. The insurance policy didn't cover the store, I found out on Valentine's Day, and I started drinking that night. I remember falling asleep in my car, asking you to come back and help me. When I woke up and you weren't there… I just lost it. Anyway, around June I was out, drunk, and I walked by your house. Babe, I was just so fucking miserable and mad at myself. I picked up a rock and threw it through your old window. I screamed that I loved you, that I needed you to come back. And the next thing I remember is waking up in the Point Place jail. I didn't know until the day you went missing that Caroline's family had bought your house, that it was her window I threw the rock at and shouted that stuff to."

He felt her shaking against him and his stomach twisted. He still hated making her cry. Looking down he saw that she was shaking with… laughter. Silent giggles were racking her body as tears streamed down her face. "Jackie? What the hell is so funny?" he asked, completely perplexed.

She grabbed the pen and wrote shakily- _This shit only happens to you, baby. Only you._ Then she dropped the pen and pointed at him, still silently laughing. He grinned, the sight of her laughter was so beautiful, and even in silence it was contagious. He started to laugh too. The absurdity of it all was just too much. Eventually, they regained their composure and he told her, "Jackie, I want you to know that I'm going to wait for you to tell me when you're ready to move on from here. However long that takes, I'm good."

- _Thank you._

He saw her yawn and tugged her close to him, "Want to grab some shut-eye?"

She nodded.

"Want me to stay?"

She nodded again. He got up and returned the bed to a reclined position and laid back down. She curled up on him again, and was asleep in seconds. This time, no nightmares punctuated her dreams. It was just Steven and her, happily walking through a lifetime of memories yet to be made.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

September 4

Highland Park, IL

Hyde let out a deep sigh and a groan as he sank onto Kelso's overstuffed couch.

"Long drive?" smirked Kelso, handing Hyde a soda. Hyde accepted gratefully and popped the tab on the can. He was sore from moving boxes into his and Kelso's new "office" all week. He'd had to drive back to Milwaukee yesterday to grab a few things from WB's house and decided to crash there for the night. The last two weeks had been exhausting enough without a midnight drive.

"Yeah, that one hour really wore me out, man," Hyde retorted, frogging Kelso's shoulder.

"Ow! Hyde!" he said, smiling to himself. He was ecstatic that his best friend was doing so well with all the changes the past two weeks. Just after Jackie had been discharged from the hospital, he'd approached Hyde with an opportunity that had been fomenting in his mind since his own stay in the recovery ward.

" _Hey man, can I talk to you?" Kelso asked, pulling Hyde aside. He wanted to get this conversation in before Jackie and Hyde got into "reunited" mode._

" _Sure thing, Kelso," Hyde said, and he turned to Jackie, "Babe, I'll be right back. You need anything?" She shook her head and settled herself into the covers, relishing being back in her own space._

 _They walked outside the apartment and stood in the courtyard. Kelso rocked back and forth on his heels, unsure of how to broach the subject. "Kelso, man, what did you want to talk about?" Hyde said impatiently, "I've only got a few hours before I have to get back on the road to Milwaukee and I want to spend some time with Jackie."_

 _Kelso grinned, "What if you could spend a lot more time with her? Like a LOT, a LOT."_

 _Hyde squinted at Kelso, evidently confused, "What are you getting at Kelso?"_

" _Look, Hyde. Last month, after I got shot, I started thinking about how all I really want out of this life is to spend time with Brooke and Betsy and Peanut. So the past few weeks I've been working on getting my Private Investigator license. It came through yesterday. I could use an extra hand on running down leads and tracking bail skips. It's not a ton of money, but it'd be something different from the music business. Plus, Brooke said you could stay with us. That way Jackie has her space but you aren't an hour and a half away. So… What do you say? Wanna work with me?"_

 _Hyde stared at his buddy. "Man, are you sure?" he croaked, "I mean, I don't have much money for rent and stuff…"_

 _Kelso waved him off. "Hyde, that's not even an issue. Brooke's dad left us this house. I spend most of my day with Betsy, so I need someone who can run down leads and stuff while I'm with Betsy. Plus, you've got the Camino so we won't have to get a second car. You'll be helpin' me, Hyde! C'mon, we'll have a blast!"_

 _Hyde cleared his throat. There were moments when he wished he still had his sunglasses… "Kelso… Thank you. I'd love to work with you!" he said, holding out his hand. Kelso grabbed it and pulled him into a brief hug, "This is gonna be epic, man!" Hyde chuckled and reminded himself that if any cases involved climbing water towers he'd make sure to take point._

"How's Jackie doing?" asked Kelso, tentatively. He'd avoided the subject for a week.

"I think she's warming up to me again," Hyde said, trying to massage the kink out of his neck, "It was all my fault. I shouldn't have pressed her so fast." His mind raced back to the previous Friday. It had been such a good day…

" _Steven!" Jackie laughed, trying to wriggle free from his grasp. He'd grabbed her around the waist and carried her toward the lake. They'd spent a relaxing afternoon by the shore, watching the boats and eating a picnic lunch Brooke had packed for them. It felt like such a perfect moment…_

 _He set her down just at the edge of the water and cupped her face in his hands. He kissed her gently and then dropped down to one knee. He pulled the ring he'd bought from his pocket and looked up into her beautiful face, "Jacqueline, I wanted to do this before… well, for a long time. Baby, will you marry me?"_

 _She'd stared at him for so long he thought she might have slipped into shock. Finally, she blinked and shook her head. "Steven… How can you… Seriously?!" and her face became angrier and angrier as she stared at the ring._

 _He realized he'd jumped the gun and hastily put it back in his pocket. "Jacks, I'm sorry," he said quickly, "It was just that we were having such a great day, and I love you. You know I love you so much." He stopped, the tears spilling from her eyes making his stomach contract painfully._

" _All I asked you for was a little time!" she said harshly, "It's been ONE week, Steven! ONE WEEK since your batshit crazy bed buddies kidnapped and tortured me!"_

" _Jackie, I'm sorry!" he said, feeling helpless, "I can't change what happened! You know I'd trade places with you in a second if I could!" He grabbed her hands, desperate for her not to pull away from him again._

 _She was struggling to remain calm, to keep from spiraling into the anger and hurt that plagued her sometimes. "I know. I know," she said, "But you can't do this right now. You can't force this onto your timetable! Not when there are things I need to find… I waited for you for a year and a half. Can't you try and be patient with me?"_

 _He'd truly wished for an earthquake to swallow him whole at that moment. "Of course I can, Jacks," he said, kissing her forehead, "I promise, no proposal until you're ready."_

 _She'd remained stiff in his arms, and he'd tried not to take it personally. "Why don't I drive you home?" he said. She'd nodded and they'd spent the ride in near silence._

"So what're you going to do now?" asked Kelso.

"Take it slow, I guess," he shrugged, "I can't blame her for how she's feeling. But now I need to take the ring back and exchange it."

"WHAT?!" shrieked Brooked. She'd come up behind them unawares, "You PROPOSED?!"

Hyde automatically raised his arms to shield his face. Brooke had been extra hormonal lately, and she was always super protective of Jackie. "I swear I didn't plan it!" he protested, waiting for a spatula or pillow to hit him, "I just… I just felt like it was the right moment."

Brooke had an almost pitying expression on her face, "You men are hopeless!"

"Uh!" exclaimed Kelso, "What did I do?"

Brooke rolled her eyes, but otherwise ignored her soon-to-be husband, "First off- yes, take the ring back. It's not her style. Second- think, like really think, about who she is now. She's a college student who's about to start another heavy semester, plus all the work she's doing for her personal… project. She has a lot on her plate! It's not always all about you, Hyde! For Christ's sake- SHE LOVES YOU! This isn't about her not wanting to marry you, it's about not piling so much shit on her when she's got enough to deal with at the moment!"

Hyde just sat there, his arms folded, mulling over Brooke's words. He really hadn't considered that Jackie was simply overwhelmed at this point. He nodded and held his hands up to placate Brooke, "I hear you, Brooke. I promise, I'll make sure I try not to stress her out from now on."

Brooke smiled dazzlingly. The abrupt change in her mood gave Hyde whiplash. "That's better!" and she returned to the library to finish her book.

Hyde glanced over at Kelso, "Man, I hope you don't screw up your vows on Sunday. I think Brooke might kill you."

"Don't I know it…" said Kelso, "Listen, why don't we go drive over to Jackie's place? Eric and Amina are there and we can hang with them until Jackie gets done with her research. Then you guys can drive back up together and I'll take Jackie's car and ride with Eric and Amina. It'll give you guys a chance to talk before the wedding madness starts tonight."

Hyde smiled gratefully at Kelso. "Sounds like an excellent plan, my friend! I'll buy lunch on the way."

* * *

The drive from Highland Park to Evanston was quick, considering it was a holiday weekend. They stopped and picked up burgers for everyone and pulled up to the apartment complex. Hyde was surprised to see the Lincoln in the parking lot. They walked up to the apartment and Hyde could hear raised voices and shouting coming from Jackie's apartment. Sprinting to the door, he flung it open with Kelso right behind him. He was totally unprepared for the sight that greeted him.

Jackie was using a baseball bat to beat the life out of a couch cushion while spewing invectives as Eric and Amina stood by and watched. Papers were strewn everywhere and Hyde noticed they had scribblings and highlighter all over them.

"Uhh, Jacks?" he asked tentatively.

Jackie froze mid-swing and dropped the bat as she swiveled to face them. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but strands had worked their way loose and stuck to her sweaty face. She had dark circles under her eyes, and Hyde was alarmed at how unhinged she looked. She smoothed the front of her shirt over her shorts and made to walk toward him as though to hug him. Halfway across the living room, Hyde saw her eyes roll back in her head and he lurched forward, catching her before she hit the floor. He laid her down on the carpet and heard Eric mutter, "Finally…"

He swung his head around to glare at Eric, but his best friend cut him off, "Dude, she's been on the brink this whole week. She hasn't slept or eaten, as far as we know, for 2 or 3 days. We got back from breakfast this morning and she was murdering the couch. We've just been waiting for her to pass out so we could figure out what to do next."

Hyde was nervous. "Is this because of me?" he asked.

Amina shook her head, "Before she got like this she and I talked. She came home from your picnic and said she needed to solve this 'puzzle' so she could move on with you. But I think she got frustrated because she kept saying, 'I know it's here.' I think these papers must have a puzzle in them."

Hyde slid his arms underneath Jackie and lifted her easily from the floor. He carried her back to her bed and pulled the soft down comforter over her. Shutting the door gently behind him, he strode purposefully back into the living room and came toe-to-toe with Foreman. "Okay, first off- you guys need to quit hiding shit like this from me. If it's because of something I did, then you need to yell at me, then tell me this is happening. Second- I need your help figuring out what got her spinning like that."

Eric kept his arms folded and considered Hyde. On the one hand, he had a point. They needed to figure out what had driven his little sister off the deep end. However, he really didn't want to deal with the aftermath if Jackie found out he'd broken his promise to keep this a secret. Hyde's blue eyes narrowed in intensity and, on balance, Eric decided he'd rather deal with angry Jackie than raging Hyde.

"Okay, but this stays between the four of us in this room. Brooke already knows everything I know, so no need to have Kelso here try to keep a secret." He waited for everyone to agree to his demand. Once all had assented, he gathered up all the papers and motioned for everyone to sit at the table.

"Hyde, you remember when Jack got arrested, right?" Eric started. Hyde nodded. "After he took the plea deal, he was supposed to return all the money he embezzled. He couldn't, he said he spent it, so Jackie had to arrange for the properties to be sold off. Of all the properties, and man there were several, the only one he gave a rat's ass about was that ski cabin. He basically told Jackie that she had to make sure nothing was left in the cabin, or he would have to sell the house and leave her nothing. That's why she made us all go up there with her and clean it out."

"Okay, still not seeing what this has to do with the paperwork." Kelso said.

Eric nodded, "I'm getting there. Okay, when Jackie went up to see Jack and let him know that Pam had died, he basically shrugged and asked Jackie if she'd kept up payments on the storage area with the ski cabin stuff. Jackie was pretty upset when that happened. Wrote me one of the longest letters… Anyway, after she had to sell the mansion when Jack died she didn't have the funds to pay for the storage area anymore. She went out there to paw through everything before she auctioned it off. She found the book these," he gestured to the papers, "came from in the back of a mirror that had broken. There were two more books, ledgers sort of, inside two paintings. She's been pouring over them for months, but they just look like regular accounting ledgers to me."

"Why are they so important, then?" asked Hyde.

"I'm guessing they might tell her something about Jack's crimes," Eric said, shrugging his shoulders.

Amina grabbed the nearest ledger copies and started to peruse them. "Money in this ledger is coded. Like for billing purposes," she reached for another stack, "These are also coded, but differently from the first." She pulled the last stack toward her and studied them closely. "These as well, again different codes, but same pattern."

Kelso looked at the first stack and said, "These look like billable hours for clients. I had to know this for my PI license. We can bill on a system like this, but there are heavy restrictions if you do. What would be so important about these billing logs? I mean, everyone knew Jack was embezzling money from the town, the cops and the D.A. already had all the evidence of it."

Hyde raised his eyebrows and grabbed the second stack. "Guys, I think I know what she's looking for."

They all turned to look at him. "These books are the real ledgers for Jack's law firm. This is the record of all the money he embezzled. How much, where it went, and who he funneled it through."

Amina's voice cut through the shocked silence, "But how can you know this?"

Hyde looked up at her sheepishly, "Randy used to steal money from the register after he and Donna started dating. WB had a zero-tolerance policy, and I didn't want to see the guys hauled off to jail. The books were only sent to the corporate office at the end of the month anyway, so I set up a system to keep track of how much went missing and how to cover it up with 'product loss' numbers. It would look suspicious if 5 Andy Gibb records kept going missing every month, or even a certain number of any one record. So I'd find albums with a title that started with the same letter as the month for the books. That way I could cover the theft with a bunch of different albums. All I had to do was make sure that any actual shoplifting was recorded in the same manner. I realized after a few months that I'd have to keep track of the total in a separate book, though, in case it got out of hand and I needed to call Randy on his debt. So I made one similar to this, just coded so it wouldn't be too obvious if someone else happened upon it."

Kelso spoke up, "I'm still not clear how that's gonna help up figure out these books, though."

Eric had been pretty quiet during the conversation. Hyde looked over at him and saw his brow was furrowed deep with concentration. "Foreman?" Hyde asked. Eric held up a finger and kept his focus on the stack in front of him. After a few more seconds he looked up, and was inexplicably smiling.

"Patterns," he said simply and pointed at Hyde, "You tipped me off when you talked about setting up a system. Jack would've needed to keep track in a similar way so he could cook his firm's books. I can have this figured out in a few days," he paused, "AFTER the wedding."

Kelso shot up in his seat, "SHIT!" he exclaimed, "Man, I totally forgot! We need to get going!"

Amina put a hand on his elbow and patted his arm, "Michael, it's okay! I picked up the dress for Lije yesterday, and I packed all of our things already. There is no need to panic!" She looked back towards Jackie's room. "I wish we could let her sleep some more, but I suppose we could wake her now…" she trailed off.

"No," Hyde said firmly, "Look, you guys go back with Kelso. I'll drive up with Jackie in the Lincoln when she wakes up. If she's still asleep tonight, I'll wake her up in the morning and be there by nine so we don't miss the rehearsal dinner."

Everyone looked pretty relieved at the compromise and Amina went to retrieve their bags from Eric's room. Foreman looked over at Hyde and motioned for him to come join him, "Look, buddy, I can figure out the puzzles in the ledger books, but there's a bigger problem none of us are talking about," he levelled his gaze at Hyde, "What happens after we solve this riddle? None of us know why she's so hell-bent on finding this money. She has her college paid for right now, and I'm pretty sure she isn't trying to keep it for herself. That's not who she is anymore."

Hyde nodded and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I know, man. I'm wondering the same thing. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now my priority is making sure she's okay."

Kelso and Amina were waiting at the front door and Eric clapped Hyde on the shoulder. "Good luck, man. Call us if you need anything." Hyde waved at them and closed the door quietly. Turning around, he began gathering up the detritus left behind from the couch massacre. After he'd picked up what seemed to be every highlighter cap ever made, he decided to check on Jackie. She'd only been asleep for an hour or so, but he wanted to make sure that nothing was disturbing her much needed rest. He cracked the door open and poked his head in.

The late afternoon sun was peeking through the sides of the shades and illuminated the glow from her dark raven locks. Her face was peaceful, untroubled by the stress from waking moments, and her chest rose and fell with a graceful rhythm. His heart swelled with affection, and for just a moment he wanted nothing more than to wake her and give her the good news that he and their friends had unraveled part of her mystery for her. Instead, he closed the door again and decided to get a light dinner together in case she woke up hungry.

A few hours later, after having made a dozen devilled eggs and some grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, he flopped down onto the couch and turned the TV on for background noise. He pulled a legal tablet onto the coffee table and began jotting down ideas for where the money could've been deposited. As the night wore on, he finally laid the pen and pad down and decided to check on Jackie one last time before he turned in for the night. Satisfied that she was still peacefully sleeping, he scrawled a note for her indicating where the food he made was and then collapsed onto the couch, falling quickly into an easy sleep.

* * *

A fierce, sharp pang in her stomach awoke Jackie. Sitting straight up in complete darkness, she had a momentary rush of panic. _Where am I?!_ The soft weight of her own down comforter soothed her frayed nerves, and she felt her shoulders relax. She switched on her bedside lamp and looked at her alarm clock. _3:05? A.M.? Holy hell!_ She jumped up and flung her door open.

The apartment was dark save for a dim glow from the TV in the living room. She crept quietly towards the sofa, hoping to God that Eric and Amina had just fallen asleep in front of the TV. She rounded the corner and spotted the baseball bat she'd taken from the Pinciotti's house propped up against the wall. _Wasn't I just using that?_ She peered over the sofa and saw a shock of chocolate brown curls on the nearest pillow. _Steven?_ Her mind rewound the last memories she had, and she suddenly remembered seeing his beautiful face right before everything went black.

The refrigerator kicked on and she jumped at the noise. She saw that all her father's papers were piled neatly on the dining room table and she went to inspect them. On the top of the pile was a note written in familiar handwriting-

 _Doll,_

 _If you wake up while I'm asleep, I left some dinner for you in the fridge (deviled eggs) and the oven (grilled ham and cheese). I know you wanted to keep this project a secret, but we're all really worried about you. Eric thinks he's got Jack's code figured out, and Kelso and I are going to work on tracing the money as soon as he and Brooke are back from their honeymoon. We love you and we want to help. Please let us._

 _Love you,_

 _Me_

Jackie's eyes filled with tears. The hot liquid stung her overtired eyes, and she had to put a hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs. As she worked on getting her emotions under control, she felt a warm presence behind her. Steven's strong arms slipped around her waist, and she turned to face him, burying her head in his chest. He gripped her tightly, trying to convey in that embrace everything he wanted for her.

After a few moments, she felt his left hand begin to trace a pattern of circles on her back over her shirt. The touch was so endearingly familiar, so intrinsic to who they were in the beginning, that she felt a powerful force sweep over her heart. She lifted her head off his chest and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. He smiled down at her and she cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. Tenderly at first, then urgently and passionately. He responded instantly, lifting her off the ground and wrapping her legs around his waist. He carried her to the bedroom like that, never letting her lips leave his for more than a second.

He lowered her gently onto the bed and made to stand again, but she pulled him toward her, fistfuls of his shirt clenched in her hands. His weight came down on top of her, and he heard her gasp in pain. She'd forgotten her ribs were still healing.

"Jacks?!" he asked, alarmed. He made to get up again, but she shook her head pulled him down so he was lying beside her. He reached up and stroked her face, placing easy kisses on her forehead, nose and lips. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her face was pinched in pain. "Just try to breathe slow, doll," he said, "Don't force it."

She listened to him, and eventually the pain receded. Anger flooded her brain. _Way to kill a mood, Burkhardt._ She opened her eyes and saw him smiling at her. Those cornflower blue eyes were so mesmerizing to her… She rolled over gently and pulled herself on top of him. Lowering her mouth onto his, she picked up the emotion right where she'd left it. She wanted him so badly. _I need you, Steven._

He felt his jeans grow tight as she lifted her small frame onto his. He'd been trying to suppress his desire for her for so long now, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to stand a makeout session with her. Just as he was about to say something, he felt her sit up and straddle him. She took her shirt off in one fluid motion, and any noble or chaste thought was driven completely from his mind. He sat up to meet her and ripped his own shirt off his body in the process. He let his hands caress her body, his thumbs lightly rubbing against her nipples before moving up her neck to cup her face.

As their kisses grew hungrier, more insistent, Hyde lifted her up and placed her to the side of him. He hooked his thumbs into his own waistband and was naked in less than two seconds. Pressing her back onto the bed, he deftly removed her shorts and underwear, not caring where they ended up. He lowered his head to her stomach, marveling at how familiar the skin felt and looked after so long. He laid his lips gently from her belly button to her heat, then let his tongue part her lips as he gently probed her wetness. She let out a low moan and her hips lifted slightly from the bed. As he continued working her towards an orgasm, he felt his own hardness deepen. He heard her breathing become more shallow and her moans hit higher octaves. He pressed his tongue hard against her clit, and she let out a soft cry.

She felt him move up her torso, his thick erection pressing into her thigh. The hot rush from her center drove her wild and she pulled him close to her. His heart was beating madly in his chest as he reached for her bedside table.

"No," she whispered in his ear, "I want to feel you. I'm taken care of."

He kissed her deeply as he entered her, a thousand sensations running over his body. His thrusts were slow and measured at first. He wanted this to last as long as he could stand it. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he intensified his pace. He felt his back muscles tense and he opened his eyes to look at her beautiful face. Her mismatched green and blue eyes were staring at him, and he felt himself float back in time. They rocked together, his shaft buried deep inside her until neither could hold back any longer. He came inside her at the same instant that she kissed him.

Shuddering from the release, he held his body weight above her on his elbows. He opened his eyes again and took a few minutes to simply look at her. Her perfect lips, her sweet nose, the dark hair strands sticking to her dewy face. He kissed her again, and eased out of her. Lying next to her, he pulled her in close to him gingerly avoiding her bruised ribs. She let him hold her for a few minutes before she turned over and faced him.

"I love you," she said quietly.

"Love you too, Jackie," he said back to her.

"Steven?"

"Yeah, doll?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything."

He felt her leg cross over his body and with one arm he flung the comforter over them both. As she settled into his arms, her head resting easily on his chest, he smiled into the darkened room. A deep, easy sleep settled on them both for the first time in days.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Hyde's eyes popped open at the sound of a door snapping shut. He sat up, noticing immediately that Jackie wasn't where she had been a few hours previously. He glanced at the bedside table and saw that it was nearly 11 a.m. _DAMMIT!_ _Overslept…_

He leapt out of bed and grabbed his clothes off the floor. He noticed the bathroom door was ajar and heard the shower running. He tapped on the door and called out, "Jackie?"

"Yeah, baby," she answered, "I'm just getting cleaned up and then I'll make some breakfast."

"Sorry, doll," he said, "No time. We gotta get up to Kelso's or Brooke will skin us both alive." He heard her drop a heavy bottle.

"OH MY GOD!" she squealed, "I completely forgot about the wedding!"

Hyde swore that if he hadn't just heard that come out of her mouth, he'd never have believed it was Jackie uttering those words. He chuckled and shook and his head, "No big deal, doll, let's just get going as soon as we can." He splashed some water on his face and got dressed. He made some coffee and helped himself to one of the leftover sandwiches. When the hairdryer turned on, he figured he had another half hour so he turned on the TV and flipped through the channels.

Ten minutes later he caught a blur of sundress and sandals head his way as Jackie came over and kissed him deeply on the mouth. Caught by surprise he kissed her back and smiled. Her hair was dry, but not meticulously styled. The only makeup he saw was a bit of mascara and lip gloss. It struck him how different this all was for her, and also how little it seemed to change how he saw her. She still looked utterly gorgeous to him.

"You ready, doll?" he asked, still unsure.

"Yep!" she said, grabbing his hand, "Come on! I don't want to miss any part of this wedding!"

They piled in the Lincoln and made their way to Highland Park. Pulling up to the driveway, Jackie spotted the yellow sports coupe and clapped her hands excitedly. "I'm so glad Fez could make it!"

Hyde nodded, "Feels like forever since I've seen him…"

They got out of the car and made their way inside. Everyone seemed to be out on the back deck eating lunch, so they made their way outside. Red and Kitty saw Jackie first and jumped up to greet her, followed by Amina and Eric and then Fez. Kelso raised an eyebrow at Hyde and he nodded silently in reply to let him know that all was well. Kelso smiled and gave him a thumbs-up and went back to trying to get Betsy to eat her lunch.

As Jackie got caught up with everyone at the table, Hyde saw Brooke in the kitchen and decided that now was the time to ask her a question that had been on his mind since their 'talk' the day before. He quietly slipped inside and got her attention, "Hey, Brooke… Can I ask you something? Privately?"

She looked up, a little startled, and then nodded. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Well, it's just something you said yesterday that I haven't been able to figure out. I was wondering if you could elaborate a bit for me. You said- _Yes, you have to take the ring back. It's not her style,"_ he said.

"Yeah…" said Brooke, still chopping vegetables and looking puzzled, "What about it?"

"Well, I guess I don't get why you say that it isn't her _style_. I get that I need something different next time I ask," he held up his hands hurriedly, "which definitely won't be until she's ready, but that ring is almost identical to the one she went on and on about when we were together-"

"Yes, exactly," said Brooke, interrupting him, "it's precisely what THAT Jackie would have LOVED. It's big, showy, and expensive. It's everything Pam taught her to value." She paused and looked at him pointedly, "Does that sound like the girl sitting outside right now?"

The impact of Brooke's words hit him like a verbal smack to the head. He hadn't really stopped to think about what she'd prefer _now_. He'd been so fixated on his goal he'd fallen back on all his old knowledge of her. He looked up at Brooke, "I'm going to try and figure out what she'd really like, but I want to make sure it's perfect. Once I've gotten an idea, would you be cool with helping me pick the final choice?"

Brooke looked up and gave him a brilliant smile. "I'd be honored!" she said happily, shoving a large plate of chopped veggies into his hands. "Now, let's go eat. I'm STARVING!"

The afternoon passed pleasantly, with everyone enjoying the beautiful weather and good company. At six o'clock, Fez left to pick up Brooke's mother, Carolyn, from the airport and Kelso went to retrieve his family from the hotel nearby. They all met at a sweet little lakefront café, where the owner had reserved the outdoor area just for them. Kelso had caught the beverage delivery man helping himself to the restaurant's freezer and inventory a few weeks before and the grateful owner had offered to host their rehearsal dinner for free as a reward.

Once everyone was seated and sweet speeches were given from Jackie and Fez, the dinner was served. Kelso watched in growing embarrassment as his brothers flicked food at each other across the table until Amina stood up, walked behind them, and smacked them each in the head in succession so hard that even Red winced.

"This is not how you behave at nice places!" she yelled at them, "This is how animals behave!"

Casey stood up and sidled over to her, ogling her figure and making kissy face noises. "Well, baby," he said pulling her over to the lakefront railing, "the ladies do tell me I'm part horndog. AH-AH-AOOOOO!" he howled.

Casey looked over at the table, grinning and winking at his brothers and looking to see if anyone else was laughing. To his surprise he saw Eric shaking his head and smirking at him. "Hey Foreskin!" he said, a little irritated at the condescending look on Eric's face, "maybe your new lady wants to try out some time with me, too!"

"Man," said Eric, his shoulders shaking with laughter, "If you only knew what you just started…"

Confused, Casey looked back at Amina. She had taken a hard life ring from the side of the dock and shoved it over his head until his arms were pinned to his side. With surprising speed and strength, she bent down and lifted his legs up off the dock and tossed him over the side into the lake.

Ronald, Donald, Marcus and Arthur all jumped up as Casey splashed into the water, but Amina pointed a finger at them and barked, "SIT! You will not MOVE until this dinner is over. Am I understood?" All four boys sat down instantly and looked down at their plates. Amina adjusted the top of her dress and then sat down next to Eric again. He leaned over and kissed her on the temple, "God, I love you."

She smiled back at him and then winked at Brooke, who smiled back appreciatively. The rest of the meal passed with little more fanfare from the Kelso clan. Casey eventually extricated himself from the water and stalked off, presumably to find a way to dry his clothes off. At the end of the night, with everyone preparing to part until the next day's wedding, Michael drew his parents to the side.

"Listen, Mom," he said, "Dad, I just want you to know that you guys feel free to not come tomorrow if you don't want to." He held up his hands and continued, "I know you guys had seven kids to raise and that had to be tough, but in all honesty, you guys really never took an interest in me or Brooke or Betsy. Allowing my brothers to behave like this tonight? I mean, you guys didn't even try to stop them! And they're all adults! I guess what I'm getting at is- if you're too tired, or too exhausted, or just plain don't give a shit enough to make my brothers behave decently tomorrow then none of you should come. The hotel is paid for through Monday, feel free to stay there. But tomorrow is about me and Brooke, got it?"

He raised an eyebrow at his parents and they both nodded. It hurt him a little that, even under the admonishment of their own son, they seemed not to be able to muster even a hint of embarrassment. On the contrary, they looked relieved at being let off the hook! They both smiled and hugged him and ushered his brothers to the parking lot. Fez offered to drive the van back to the hotel, as Brooke's mother was staying with them at the house.

Driving home, Brooke squeezed her soon-to-be husband's hand. "Babe," she said softly, "You okay?"

He looked over at his gorgeous fiancée. He smiled and squeezed her hand in return, "Perfect, babe. Just wanted to make sure everything was straight for tomorrow."

* * *

Lake Michigan

September 6th, 1981

Kelso and Fez stood on the sand of Lake Michigan looking out onto the placid water. The weather was perfect and the day held the promise of love and laughter. Fez clapped a hand on his best friend's shoulder, "Well, amigo, you ready to get hitched?"

Kelso grinned, "Absolutely, man." He smiled at his buddy and said, "Thanks for everything, Fez. There's nobody I'd rather have as my best man."

They turned around and faced their small audience. A small string quartet was playing in the corner of the gazebo as the guests all rose and turned. Jackie began walking down the cleared sandway to where Kelso and Fez stood. Her long hair was pulled back from her face, and she wore a beautiful deep blue chiffon dress. Like the rest of the wedding party, she opted for flip-flops, and around her neck she wore a simple white gold locket. Hyde couldn't take his eyes off her. She looked radiantly beautiful in the late afternoon sun. She beamed at him, and he felt himself smile broadly in return.

Brooke rounded the corner, escorted by Red on one side and Betsy on the other. Everyone let out an audible gasp as the sunlight framed her silhouette. The rays danced off her long hair and illuminated the simple white dress with silver beading. Michael was sure that at that moment, his wife looked just like a real angel. His heart beat fast as she glided toward him, all grace and ethereal elegance.

Kitty and Carolyn cried quietly into their handkerchiefs as the ceremony began. Amina and Jackie smiled happily through their own tears as Brooke and Michael said their vows to each other. When the preacher pronounced them husband and wife everyone applauded, and Betsy held up her flower basket yelling, "TIME FOR CAKE!". As the stunned guests burst into laughter, Eric saw Red slip a quarter to Betsy.

"Nice one, Dad," Eric said, laughing.

"Had to get everyone to stop crying," Red said gruffly, wiping at the corner of his eyes. He looked over at Eric. "What?! I've got SAND IN MY EYES!" and he stalked off towards the reception tent.

Eric had to admit, the highlight of the evening was watching Kelso and Fez race towards the 'wedding trampoline' and engage in a 'jumping joust tournament'. The whole affair was definitely going down in the history books as one of their best parties. He watched Hyde and Jackie slow dance to every song, listened as his mother recounted the best part of her own reception to a tipsy Amina, and grinned as Carolyn and WB flirted shamelessly all night long. Even Red got into the mood and danced at least one song with everyone there, though he noticed that his father's dance with Jackie made him look a little sad as well as happy…

Years later, when he looked back on that night, his memories would be tinged in sadness. Someone dear to them all was missing that night, and only one person had her on his mind. Eric would always regret that it wasn't him; that there were moments of sheer happiness that couldn't be recreated and made whole with her in them.

But on that night, watching Betsy sneak plate after plate of cake under the table, all he could do was smile. Tonight was a damn good night to be a Kelso.

* * *

November 24th, 1981

Seattle, Washington

Ava looked out on the calm waters of Elliott Bay. Her classes at UW were off for Thanksgiving, but she had no family to go home to. She'd taken a short bus ride to Discovery Park on the advice of a girl in her Biology class. Tara hadn't been wrong, the park was breathtakingly beautiful, but Ava just wasn't a nature-watching kind of gal. _You can change your name, but it doesn't change who you are._

Her hair was still long, though she'd dyed it a darker auburn color now. It seemed to suit the city and her personality more. She thought back over the last five months since she'd arrived in Seattle. It had been an adjustment, to say the least. She'd narrowed down her apartment choices and grudgingly signed up for the minimum full-time load of classes at UW at Ben's insistence. Just before she'd left, she'd managed to talk him into staying in Seattle for a week-

" _Just until I get settled?" she pleaded, her eyes filling with mostly genuine tears._

 _Ben sighed, "I can take a few days and help you. But, Ava, you know I have to come back here! I can't stay with you in Seattle…" He'd looked away, afraid that his resolve would falter if she truly started to cry._

 _She'd slipped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. She wasn't really certain if the feelings she had were genuine or not. She did know, without a doubt, that she didn't want to be dropped off like some orphan on a doorstep._

That first week had been wonderful for her. Ben had helped her find the perfect place, well below her budget, close to campus. He'd walked her around the nicer parts of town and shown her the ins and outs of the ferry system. They'd had sex every day, and she'd felt like Seattle wasn't such a scary place after all. But then he'd had to leave, back to his job and his life in Minneapolis.

She'd resisted the urge to call him for two weeks after he left. August was beautiful on Puget Sound, but she quickly tired of the tourist spots and local establishments. After another fitful week of aimlessly wandering through town and waiting for school to start, she'd finally broken down and called him.

" _Hello?" a brusk voice answered._

" _Hello, Ben? It's Ava…"_

 _A softer tone echoed through the receiver, "Ava! It's good to hear your… It's nice to hear from you!"_

 _Her heart gave a small spasm of delight. "I just wanted to call and hear your voice," she said honestly, "Ben, I'm really lonely out here."_

" _I know, Ava, the first year can be rough in a strange city."_

" _I was wondering if you had plans for Labor Day?" she asked hopefully, "Maybe if you aren't busy…"_

" _Ava, I can't come out there," he said, trying not to sound dismissive. He missed her a lot, after all. "I took more vacation in the last two months than the last fifteen years put together."_

" _Oh," she said, not bothering to conceal the hurt in her voice, "I see. Well, I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you. I won't bother you anymore," and she slammed the phone down onto the receiver, letting the tears fall thick and fast from her eyes._

Looking back, the month after that short disaster of a conversation had been a truly depressing time. She didn't remember specifics, just getting up, eating, walking, going through the motions of the day. Classes had started just after Labor Day and she'd felt a bit of the fog around her lift. It wasn't until the end of September that she'd really started to find her stride again.

Her classes were interesting, though nothing particularly caught her interest by way of a career. Still, doing well in them had given her spirit a much-needed lift. She'd been studying for her midterms in October when Tara, the girl who sat next to her in Biology, had invited her to see the Rolling Stones with her. Ava had been floored by the girl's generosity.

" _Are you sure?" she said, "These tickets are sold out! You could probably make a killing if you scalp it!"_

 _Tara waved her hands and practically shoved the ticket at her, "Nah, I'd rather go with someone nice. I really appreciate you lending me your notes last week."_

That concert had been a turning point for her. Tara was funny and smart, and both women enjoyed the other's company. They usually met for lunch on Sundays, and dinner at Ava's apartment once a week. Tara had been the one to convince Ava to dye her hair again- _"Make it you!"_

Ava had been hoping that Tara would come over during the week-long break, but she'd said that her manager was making everyone work to make up for the loss of Thursday's revenue. Ava hadn't quite understood what she meant, but she'd smiled and told her that she was welcome to come over anytime.

At long last, she gathered up her beach towel and stuffed it into her bag along with her books and wallet. She was just pondering where she wanted to have dinner, and what groceries she'd need to get her through the next two days, when she heard a shout from behind her.

"Ava!"

She whirled around and saw Tara waving and smiling, jogging down the path to the shorefront. Ava grinned broadly. Tara always reminded her of a cross between a newborn foal and a surfer chick. Her dirty blonde hair fell in long curly strands down to the middle of her back. Her arms and legs were tanned and gangly, and she never seemed to be fully in control of all of them at the same time. Her happiness was infectious though, and Ava could never be anything but happy in her presence.

Tara finally reached her gave her a tight hug. "How are you?!"

Ava shrugged her shoulders, "Okay, I guess. Kinda bored without school to go to, and _nobody to hang out with!_ " she finished pointedly.

Tara stuck out her lower lip in a pout, "Awww, was Miss I Don't Have To Work lonely all be herself?" she teased.

Ava laughed and punched her playfully on the shoulder. "Come on, loser, let's go eat dinner and maybe we can catch a movie."

Tara led the way back to the parking lot and her royal blue Jeep Scrambler. "I didn't know they made Jeeps in this color!" Ava said laughing.

Tara grinned and mashed the clutch to the floor, "The Jeep was brown originally, but one of my customers does auto work and gave my baby a new paint job. I'm just not a 'brown' kind of girl, know what I mean?"

Ava rolled her eyes affectionately. Nothing about Tara was neutral. They made their way across Puget Sound back to the campus area. Ava picked out a burger joint and they made their way inside. As they ate, Tara studied Ava's face. Her new friend seemed off, and she wanted to help.

"Ava?"

"Hmmm?"

"You okay?"

Ava shrugged again, "I guess so. I'm just frustrated, I think."

"How so?" Tara prodded.

"I don't know… I guess I was hoping that starting school again would give me an idea of what I want to do with my life. Nothing seems to click, so I just end up going to school, going home, studying, lather, rinse, repeat."

"Have you thought about volunteering at places?" Tara offered.

"Like where?" Ava asked.

"Anywhere!" Tara said, laughing, "Look, think of something you _might_ want to do, like being a lawyer. Then go down to the local Legal Aid office. They do free legal representation for people who can't afford attorneys. They always need help down there."

"But I'm not trained to do any legal stuff!" Ava said.

"Not the point," Tara said, "You can file, right?" Ava nodded. "Okay, so they definitely need help filing, sending paperwork to the courthouses, stuff like that. Meanwhile you can get an idea of what legal work is like. If you like it, you go that route, if you don't you find another place to volunteer."

"That actually sounds like a great idea," Ava said, a little miffed that it had never occurred to her.

"I've been known to have a few," Tara said, winking at her.

The girls finished their dinner and Tara dropped her off at her apartment. "I'll come over tomorrow and we can chill out and make fun of everyone who has to cook for twelve hours."

Ava waved her off and climbed the stairs to her apartment. She was looking forward to a long, hot bath and some bad TV.

Sliding her key into the lock, she was about to push the door open when a pair of strong arms encircled her. Startled, she gasped and whipped around.

"Ben!"

* * *

November 25th

Chicago, IL

"Eric, are you sure about this?" said Jackie, her teeth chattering in the brisk late autumn wind, "Why don't we use my money? You and Amina are about to get married! You could use yours for a wedding or a house or…"

"No," Eric said, cutting her off firmly, "I've been thinking about doing this since we got those checks. I need to do this, Jackie. Besides, you pitched in!"

Jackie huffed, "Barely! We could've at least split it 50-50." They'd received settlement checks from Caroline's family and their insurance company after agreeing to drop their civil suit. Samantha's lawyers had agreed to a much smaller settlement, given her lack of substantial assets, but it had been enough for Eric to pull off the surprise of a lifetime.

Eric smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Look, I've had so many lottery wins in my life. My school is paid for, I've had two great parents my whole life, I'm getting ready to marry Amina, and you've been the sister I always wished I had. This is my chance to give a little back. So whaddaya say we get inside, finish the deal, and make this happen!"

She finally relented and followed him in to the office. She still felt guilty about how little of her money he'd accepted. Just enough to cover the taxes, delivery, and fees and one small gift. The rest she'd deposited into a savings account for emergencies. She wasn't entirely sure why, but she just felt like it would be needed later on down the road.

The office manager smiled and handed Eric a stack of papers to sign and slid two large manila envelopes across the desk to him. "It was real nice doing business with you, Mr. Foreman. I hope everything turns out alright for you. If you need any service or have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me." He held his hand out and Eric shook it warmly.

Exiting the office, Eric handed one envelope to Jackie and gestured to the leftmost one. "You okay with that one?"

She nodded and said, "Meet you at the house!"

Eric sat down and emptied the contents of the manila envelope. Pulling out of the parking lot, he concentrated on getting to Brooke and Michael's in one piece with this most precious cargo. Ahead of him, he saw Jackie's car driving well below the speed limit and making judicious use of her blinkers. Apparently, she knew how important this was to him.

Finally pulling into the Kelso's driveway, he put the car in park and surveyed the other occupants. He saw Hyde's Camino and Brooke's Buick along with his parent's Toyota. Stepping out, he listened carefully for any sign that anyone was outside. Jackie motioned from the front porch and they both entered the foyer quietly.

"Eric, honey?" came his mother's voice, "Where have you two been? Your dad and I got here over an hour ago!"

"Sorry Mom!" he called back, "Urgent errand!"

Jackie stifled her laughter in the crook of her elbow and giddily jumped up and down. "Come on!" she hissed, "I want to see their faces while it's still light outside!"

Walking into the kitchen, Eric saw Hyde, Kelso, his parents and Brooke all sitting at the table. Amina was pulling a giant platter of sandwiches out of the refrigerator, and as she turned around she raised an eyebrow at Eric. He nodded at her and she winked and smiled knowingly. He nudged Jackie. This was her cue.

"Mr. Foreman?" she said, "Could you come take a look at my car? I swear it's making the weirdest noise and I can't figure it out!"

"Jackie, let Red and Kitty eat. I can take a look at it if you want," Hyde offered.

"No!" she said quickly, "I mean, I think this is more up Red's alley, baby." She tried not to laugh at the offended look on Steven's face. _I'll make it up to him later._

Red sighed and looked longingly at the platter of sandwiches. "No problem, sweet-pea," he said, "Let's see what's wrong with it."

As he and Jackie walked out of the kitchen, Brooke and Amina winked at each other and Brooke winced and put her hands on her lower back. "Oooooh, man, I really could use a walk. My back and legs are all stiff from sitting down. Kitty, want to grab a little fresh air?"

"Why, thank you, dear! That sounds lovely," Kitty said graciously.

Amina looked pointedly at Michael and Steven, "Maybe you two should make sure Jackie and Red don't need extra help?"

Both men shrugged their shoulders and followed Brooke and Kitty outside. Amina scooped up Betsy and brought up the rear. She didn't want to miss this.

Just as Kitty, Brooke, Amina, Michael and Kelso stepped out onto the front lawn, Eric opened up the garage door where Jackie had parked her Lincoln earlier and where Red was currently under its hood. "Hey Pop!" called Eric, "I think I've found the problem!"

"What are you talking about?" replied Red, "You're standing behind the damn car!"

"Yeah, I know," he said, "Come take a look."

Red came around the back of Jackie's car to see Eric sitting on the hood of a 1958 silver-blue Corvette. His mouth dropped open. "Eric!" he said, "Since when did you own a Corvette?"

Eric grinned and held up the keys to the car, "Bought it today, Pop. I found it in an ad and got it for a real sweet price."

Red circled the car and eyed it lovingly. "Man, looks almost like the one I had."

"Almost exactly like it, except this one has the heater in it."

"It's a damn fine car, son," Red said, smiling, "So was that what this little charade was all about? You guys wanted to show off your new car?"

"Not my car, Pop," he said, tossing the keys to Red. "This one's all yours."

Kitty clapped her hands over her mouth, and Red just stood there staring at the keys in his hands.

"Look, you guys have been the greatest parents I could ask for. This is my way of saying thank you for everything you've done- for all of us. The title's in the glove box, your name on it and everything. Oh, and Mom," he said, turning to look at Kitty, "there's something in there for you too."

Kitty walked over to the passenger side and opened the glove box with trembling hands. She withdrew a small black velvet box and carefully cracked it open. Her eyes filled with tears as she stared at the twinkling diamond earrings nestled inside.

"In all fairness," he said, "Jackie pitched in for this as well. She covered the registration and fees, and she got you those earrings too. She didn't want Dad to be the only one who got something shiny."

Both Red and Kitty rushed Jackie and Eric and pulled them into a combined bear hug that probably would've crushed Jackie had Brooke not extricated her so quickly.

"Son, how on earth did you two afford this?" Red asked.

Jackie stepped in and answered, "Well, we used part of the settlement money from this summer's…incident. And before you argue with us- this is already done. No give-backs!"

Kitty shook her head, "Kids, no! Eric, you should've gotten yourself a car!"

Eric gestured to the darker blue Ford Fairmont parked one house down. "I did! Look, I found the Corvette at a small dealership. I offered the guy cash and his asking price if he'd throw in the Fairmont at half price. It had really low mileage, and he hadn't been able to get anyone to buy the 'Vette so we made the deal. I've been dying to do something to show you guys what you mean to all of us, how much we know you've sacrificed for us all. Please take these and enjoy them!"

Hyde and Michael were both looking bemused. "How come we didn't know about this?" Michael asked.

"Because you two can't keep a secret from anyone!" Brooke exclaimed.

"She's got us there," said Hyde. He was enjoying watching Red look over his car like a kid at Christmas.

As everyone stood admiring the car, Hyde sidled over to Brooke. "We still on for later?" he asked quietly.

"Yep, while they go eat lunch, you and I will run out to get last minute Thanksgiving supplies," she said.

He gave her a quiet high-five and went over his own plan in his mind. He hoped that wherever Jackie was at in their relationship, it was a good place. She still hadn't told him she was ready to get married or even be proposed to, but he wanted to ring ready just in case.

An hour later, while everyone else was enjoying lunch, he and Brooke sped towards the jewelry store downtown. Inside the glittering cases, Hyde had the saleswoman place the five he'd chose in front of Brooke. She picked each up in her hand and studied them carefully. Finally, she pointed to the last one. "That one," she said confidently, "That's pure Jackie."

"Excellent choice, Mr. Hyde," the saleswoman said, placing the ring in a small gold box. Hyde looked at the ring and tried to picture it on Jackie's finger. The brilliant blue pear-shaped sapphire shone brilliantly in the white gold band, the scroll work etching lending a strength to the delicate metal. It looked simultaneously strong and beautiful. Brooke was right- that was pure Jackie.

He pocketed the ring and they left the store, stopping on the way home to pick up a few "last-minute necessities" to complete their cover story. As Brooke and Amina busied themselves preparing for the next day's feast, Hyde took a moment to check on Jackie. She'd been busy with school a lot lately, and increasingly frustrated that she didn't have time to follow up with Jack's ledger books.

He found her curled up on the guest bed, her thumb still wedged in the book where she'd stopped reading. Her eyes were closed, and he could tell she'd fallen asleep that way. Knowing she'd never sleep that night if she continued napping, he bent down and brushed the hair out of her face. Her eyes opened up sleepily, "Hey baby," she said.

"Sorry to wake you, doll," he said, "but I know how you get when you sleep during the day."

"Yeah, I know," she said, pulling herself up and rubbing her eyes. "Thanks."

He sat beside her and pulled her close, "So I've been meaning to tell you that we've pretty much decoded the rest of your dad's books."

She sat up straighter and looked wide awake now. "Seriously?" she said.

"Yep. Foreman did some of his fancy math stuff and me and Kelso have been using what he found to trace his deposits."

''And?" she asked anxiously.

"He stole a lot more than we thought, Jackie. A lot more. Over half a million dollars from what we've counted."

"Jesus Christ," she whispered, "How could he have taken that much from such a little town?"

"That's the thing, Jacks," he said, "This wasn't just from the town. Your dad was skimming from his law firm, his clients, his corporate accounts. He was operating this on a massive level, and he was good at it."

"Do you know where he stashed it?" she asked.

"Not yet," he said, "We went over all the bank books you gave us from your dad's office. There were no deposits to any of his accounts, and none of the banks in the area had accounts under your dad or your mom's name other than the local one. The state police gave us their copy of the search warrants they used when your dad was indicted. None of the other accounts had deposits that couldn't be accounted for. We're thinking he must have hidden it somewhere else."

Jackie slumped back down onto his chest and squeezed him tightly. "Back to the drawing board then. Thank you so much for doing all this, Steven. It really means a lot that you're helping me."

"Anything for you, doll," he said, kissing her forehead. "But you still haven't told me why this is all so important."

She sighed and closed her eyes, "I know this sounds silly, baby, but I just need to try and fix this- in whatever way I can- so I can put that last part of me in the past," she paused, "I'm ready to move on with my life, with you, but it feels like this is just clinging on to me like an anchor."

He hoped she couldn't feel his heart thudding madly inside his chest right now. Did she really mean what he thought she did? "So… you'd be willing to take the next step if you could find your dad's money and… do what with it?"

She shrugged, "Donate it, I think. I hear the town is in a bad way right now. The schools need repairs and supplies. I'm sure the hospital could use some money."

He blinked, trying to keep his mind from getting too far off track. "Then that's what we'll do, doll. We'll find it."

She kissed him and climbed on top of him. "You know what I love about you?" she said, pulling his henley shirt off him.

"No, what?" he said, unbuttoning her blouse.

"That you're always up for whatever's on my mind," she said, smiling and kissing him again.

Hyde smiled back and reached over to click the lock on the bedroom door. He didn't want to be interrupted for at least an hour….


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Highland Park, Illinois

Thanksgiving 1981

Jackie felt out of place in the bustling kitchen at Brooke's house. Brooke, Amina and Kitty had been up since 6 a.m. cooking an enormous feast for everyone, but Jackie's cooking skills weren't exactly in demand. Carolyn had arrived the previous evening and was keeping WB entertained at the bar in the living room, much to Hyde and Angie's amusement. The distinguished businessman and the bombshell blonde had an easy, comfortable flirtation that transcended the normal rules of behavior. Red was busy teaching Betsy the proper way to load the compound bow he'd bought her as Angie's boyfriend, Anthony, looked on. Anthony played football for the University of Michigan, and was apparently pretty good, because Red had taken an instant liking to him.

Jackie sighed and figured she would take a walk down to the lake for lack of anything better to do. Hyde and Kelso were busy tracking down a high value bail-jumper, figuring that the holiday morning was a chance at catching him off guard. They'd promised on pain of death to be back in time for dinner, and Jackie hoped for Michael's sake he was. Brooke looked ready to murder somebody after she burned her first pie crust.

She pulled on her jacket and hat, and had just pulled the door shut behind her when she heard a car door shut. Looking up she saw Fez exiting his yellow Spitfire and running a hand through his hair. She noticed the careworn expression on his face and decided against announcing his arrival. The man looked like he needed to sleep for a week, not be mobbed by anxious friends.

"Fezzy?" she said softly, walking up to him.

He jumped, seemingly startled by her presence, though she was sure he'd been looking right at her. "Jackie! I've missed you, beautiful one!" he said, a genuine smile breaking out across his face.

She hugged him tightly. "Fez, are you feeling alright?" she asked, "I don't want to sound rude, but you look exhausted!"

His shoulders sagged, and it hit her that even with everything going on in her life, there was someone with equally weighty problems on his mind. "I've just been very busy with so many things," he said.

"Want to walk down to the lake with me?" she offered, "It's going to be quiet down there and I have a blanket and some snacks. Michael and Steven are out looking for a skip and, trust me, you do NOT want to be in the kitchen right now."

He looked relieved at her offer and held out his arm, "Then to the lake we shall go!" They made their way down to the shore and Jackie spread out the blanket. She pulled out the thermos of coffee and banana nut bread she'd pilfered from the kitchen earlier and patted the space next to her.

"Sit, Fezzy. Tell me everything that's going on," Jackie said.

Fez sat down and accepted the mug of coffee and hunk of banana bread. "Well, the salon has been extremely busy," he started, biting into the bread, "It always is during the holidays. Everyone wants the full Fez treatment, but I only have so many hours in the day! So, I've been working almost every day to keep up."

Jackie eyed him shrewdly, "Aaaand?" she asked him leadingly, "Oh, come on Fez! I know you hire extra help around the holidays. Unless the town's population exploded that can't be the only thing."

Fez nodded, contemplating how to keep the conversation smooth without divulging details. "I've been helping a friend, and it's been taking up all my extra time and energy."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she offered, sensing his hesitation on the subject.

Fez shook his head sadly, "No, but thank you for offering Jackie. My friend is very sick, but she is getting better. She just needs a lot of support right now, and I am the only friend she has."

The investigative instinct in Jackie reared up, but she quickly suppressed it. Fez was a dear friend, not a story, he deserved to tell her in his own time. "Then I'm just really glad she has you," she said, patting his knee and smiling sympathetically.

Fez felt his heart lift a little. He'd been carrying the burden of secrecy and support alone for almost six months. Even acknowledging it in vague terms to Jackie seemed to lighten the load. He finished the bread and downed his coffee, "Well, what now my goddess? Should we return to the glorious feast?"

Jackie shook her head, "Nah," she replied glancing at her watch, "That damn turkey won't be ready for hours and I hate feeling useless." She picked sullenly at a loose thread on the hem of her jeans.

Fez squeezed her hand, "Jackie, you know you are not useless. But in the kitchen, you know, maybe you are just a little too…. flammable."

She laughed and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "You should talk! Your kitchen is stocked with nothing but candy and beer! You're like an addict!"

Fez tried to keep laughing, but his heart was hurting badly. He couldn't hide the hurt the words had unintentionally inflicted. Jackie saw the pain flair across her ex-lover's face. Whatever might be said about her, Jackie had never been nor would ever be a stupid woman. Her hand shot across to grip Fez's. "Oh, Fezzy… I'm sorry. I didn't mean… "

Fez shook his head to relieve her guilt. "It's okay, Jackie," he said sadly, "I know you didn't mean anything by it."

"Fez," she said, squeezing his hand, "Tell me. I swear I'll keep anything you tell me completely secret."

Fez sighed, the weight of his responsibility pressing on him like an anvil. "I care about her so very much," he said, "She's about to finish her treatment for a serious drug problem. She has worked so hard, but I am worried because she doesn't have anything to return to once she is done."

Jackie listened and thought carefully. "I guess that whatever she did before might have led her into this trouble?"

Fez nodded. "It certainly didn't help. She had so many people around her to drag her down. I just want her to have something to hold onto. Something…"

"Something to stay sober for?" Jackie ventured.

"Yes," he said, nodding vigorously, "exactly. I remember the feeling I had when I expanded the beauty shop. It was the first time I felt like I had achieved something great all on my own. My citizenship I owed to Laurie, my journey to this country was a sacrifice my parents had made. But that, that expansion, that was all my doing. I want her to have the same feeling."

Jackie took a deep breath, "Then I think you have to be willing to see her very differently than you did before. I've noticed that about Steven. I would never have imagined him doing something that didn't involve music, but letting him own this new life he's started has given him a lot of confidence I think. If you want some unsolicited advice, let her try to do something she never thought she could do. Even if it doesn't end up being the thing that sticks, just showing her that the whole world is open to her now will give her a lot of hope."

Fez reached over and put his arm around Jackie's shoulder, pulling her into him, "Thank you, my goddess," he said, kissing the top of her head, "You always know just what to say."

She squeezed him back and then glanced at her watch. "Well, we still have awhile before the turkey is done, but Michael and Steven should be back soon. Want to head back?"

Fez nodded and they gathered up their picnic and walked back to the house. Jackie was happy she'd been able to help her sweet friend with his dilemma, but she could feel her curiosity nagging at her. "Fez, can I ask you something? You can feel free to just tell me it's none of my business."

Fez sighed and looked down as they walked, "I know what you want to ask, Jackie. But I can't tell you who my friend is, not even a little hint. It took me so long to get her to this point, and I promised I wouldn't betray her trust."

Jackie nodded and replied, "Of course, I understand. I think I know better than anyone how loyal and trustworthy you are, Fez. I promise, no more questions from me."

They rounded the corner and saw the black Camino parked in front of the house. Depositing their coats and bag in the entryway, Jackie heard Kitty's voice drift towards her, "Steven, stop squirming! You're dripping blood everywhere!"

Jackie darted into the kitchen and saw Kitty leaning over Steven, a mass of blood stained napkins littering the floor around her. "Steven?! What happened?" she cried.

Kelso turned toward her and said, "He'll be okay, Jackie. We found the skip at his mom's house, just like Hyde thought. So, we split up and I went to the front door to see if he'd come quietly, and Hyde went around back in case he tried to run."

Fez smirked and said, "I'm guessing by your lack of injury that he opted to run?"

Kelso laughed and said, "You'd think so, wouldn't you? But no, he saw me and decided to come quiet. So, I radioed Hyde on the walkie-talkie that I had him, and when Hyde was coming around the corner, the guy's mom comes out and starts throwing beer bottles at him! She ran out of those pretty quick and just when Hyde made a break for the car, she comes back out and wings a wine bottle at him!"

Hyde groaned as Kitty cleaned out the cut above his eyebrow. "Damn thing caught me full in the face. I didn't think old ladies could throw that hard!"

"That wasn't even the best part!" Kelso continued, "One of the neighbors called the cops and when they showed up, Hyde was trying to dodge a toaster, a phone, basically anything she could grab and throw at him! One of the cops tried to calm her down and she threw a hairdryer at him, so he pulled out his taser and zapped her. It was so cool!"

Brooke rolled her eyes a little at her husband's enthusiasm for chaos. Jackie waited for Kitty to finish tending to Steven before walking over and sitting next to him. She folded her hand into his as he lifted his head up and planted a kiss on her forehead. Tracing his jawline with her other hand she smiled and said, "Pretty badass, babe."

He grinned down at her and squeezed her hand. "Thanks, doll. Sorry about the blood, I know you hate it when I bleed."

"It's okay, baby," she said, "I hate to admit it, but you look sexy when you're all roughed up." She laid her head on his shoulder and Fez watched as Hyde closed his eyes and smiled. He envied them right now, in the calm eye of their stormy romance. He wanted so badly for his lady to know that kind of peace and contentment. His brain wound back to what seemed like an age ago, when the bloody rags and bruises would've elicited supersonic shrieks and shin-kicks from Jackie. It shocked him a little to realize it was less than two years between those drastically different reactions. Jackie had been right- it wasn't just Hyde who'd had to change. She'd had to be willing to see him as a new person, without the burden of his past. Fez resolved that when he got home, he'd do the same for his _princesa._

Carolyn had quietly come up behind them and swept up all the first-aid detritus and began setting the table. Brooke came struggling out of the kitchen and laid the giant roasting pan down. The turkey looked mouth-wateringly delicious. As she stretched her back, a dozen voices chorused, "Sit down! We'll get the rest!". Brooke grabbed the chair next to the end and eased herself into it. It was barely 5:00 and she was completely wiped out. She doubted she'd have the energy to make it through dessert, at any rate.

Dish after dish came marching out of the kitchen and was placed on the table with tender care. Everyone sat down and bowed their heads while Betsy tried to say grace.

"Dear God, thank you for the food… and my arrows. Thank you for Grandpa Red and Kiki. I want a pony for Christmas… Amen."

Everyone looked up from the invocation and looked at each other. Jackie felt her left arm shake as Fez tried to contain his laughter. Tears leaked down his cheeks with the suppressed mirth. Then, as one, the entire table erupted into laughter. Even Red.

Jackie wrapped her arms around her sides as her recently healed ribs ached with the exertion. Finally, as all the laughter subsided, Red leaned over and kissed Betsy on the top of her curly head. "That was quite a prayer, Punchkin. Now, can you please pass the rolls?"

Eric looked around the table at all his family and friends. A sweet happiness permeated the room, but there was a feeling as though it was just slightly less than it could be. There was just something missing, but he couldn't put his finger on it…

* * *

Thanksgiving 1981

Seattle

Ava woke up on Thanksgiving with a spectacular hangover. It took her a few minutes to remember the course of events that had led to the pounding headache and nauseated stomach. She put one hand over her eyes and the other over her stomach and threaded back through the blurred images in her mind.

" _Ben!"_

 _Ben smiled down at her and then kissed her deeply. She responded in kind, breathing in his scent and reveling in the strength from his arms around her. Finally, leaning back from him, she asked, "What are you doing here?"_

" _Ava, I'm…" he trailed off, looking down at his shoes._

" _You're what?" Ava demanded, the anger from his previous rejection roaring back, "You're here to get laid for a few days and then traipse back to Minneapolis? You're here to drop off some 'things' and oh, while you're here, how about we have sex?" Her tirade stopped abruptly as Ben pushed her up against her door._

 _He put his hands on either side of her face, "NO!" he growled, his face inches from hers, "I'm here because I'm in love with you and ever since you called you're all I've thought about. I'm here because I needed to make sure you were still safe with my own eyes, because hearing it from anyone else wasn't good enough. I'm here because I just…"_

 _And then there had been a LOT of non-verbal communication between them, interspersed with a good bit of wine. When the wine ran out, they'd moved to shots, and after that… she didn't remember anything else._

Ava groaned and rolled over on her side. She was debating the merits of a Bloody Mary versus a Mimosa as a hair-of-the-dog treatment, when she heard knocking on the front door. Slipping out of bed, she grabbed her bathrobe and peered out the peephole to see who was at the door.

"Tara!" she cried, swinging the door open and pulling her friend into a hug.

"Uh, good to see you too, Ava," Tara said, her arms pinned to her side, "You do remember we saw each other yesterday, right?!"

Ava rolled her eyes, but released her friend all the same. "Duh, I remember," she said, "But, holy hell, I have SO much to tell you!"

Tara stepped into the kitchen and started brewing a huge pot of coffee. She didn't want to hurt her friend's feelings, but the smell of alcohol emanating from her was enough to give her a contact buzz. "So," she said, "what gives? Why are you still in bed at noon?"

"Ben came by," Ava said simply.

"Ben?!" Tara chirped, "THE Ben? The guy from Minnesota you were pining over?"

"Yep," Ava said, "He just showed up here and, well…" she paused, trying to remember that she had to make sure anything she said didn't contradict her background story. "He said he loved me, that he missed me, and," she looked up at her dumbstruck friend, "then we had sex. A lot."

Tara grinned. Her friend had been so lonely here that she was happy that some even a little light was shining down on her. "I'm really happy for you!" she said, "But, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, you said before that he was married to his job and he made all kinds of excuses not to be with you on the holidays…"

Ava nodded and her eyes shifted to the ground, "Yeah," she said quietly, "I know. But, none of that seemed to matter when I saw him. I just… I think I love him, too."

Tara poured two cups of coffee and pushed one to her friend, "Okay, then there's only one thing to do."

"What's that?"

"Make sure he knows it," Tara said, smiling warmly at her hungover friend. "So where is Mr. Magnificent?"

"Actually, I don't know," Ava replied, looking around, "I woke up just before you got here and he was already gone."

Tara raised an eyebrow, "Seriously? Ava, this guy sounds like a…" she was cut off by the sound of a series of hard knocks at the door.

Ava held up a finger and went to the door again. Opening it, she let a very tall, very handsome, older man into the apartment.

"Tara, this is Ben," she said, introducing the two, "Ben, this is my best friend, Tara."

Ben extended a hand to Tara, "Very nice to meet you, Tara."

"Likewise, Ben."

Ava sensed a tension in the air that she didn't like. "Ben, I invited Tara over yesterday so I wouldn't be alone for Thanksgiving. We both have the week off from school, so we were planning on spending the holiday together."

Ben nodded and smiled at both of them, "Of course, I understand. Tara, I'm sorry I intruded on your plans with Ava. I hope maybe you won't mind if I hang around for a bit? My plane doesn't leave until tomorrow."

Tara smiled graciously and studied Ben for a moment. There was an alarm bell going off in the back of her brain. She knew Ben was older, she knew he had an important job in Minnesota that Ava said was basically his life, but there was still just something about him that was giving her pause. She filed it away in the back of her mind and simply nodded at the living room. "Well, if you guys want we can watch the parade while I toss one of these pizzas in the oven."

Ava motioned towards her bedroom, "Well, I'm just going to get some actual clothes on and take a quick shower. I'll try to be quick."

Tara and Ben watched her go and then turned toward each other. The awkward silence was palpable.

"So…. Ben. Where'd ya go?" she asked.

"Oh," he replied, "I just went down to the corner store to grab a paper and call my office. Didn't want to put long distance charges on Ava's phone."

"I thought nearly everywhere would be closed today," she said, "Or is your office one of those open-every-day-of-the-year places?"

Ben looked at her intently. He wasn't sure if she was probing him or just naïve as most young 20-somethings were. "I work in relocation and people move all year round, so there really aren't any holidays for us. I assume you've been happy to have a break from school, though?" He wanted to head off any more probative questions.

"Well, I have today off from work, but I'll be back at it tomorrow. Boss doesn't like having to miss out on a day's receipts just for a holiday. He tried to stay open last year, but Seattle City Council wasn't having it. Told him he'd get fined pretty big if he tried it again. So I'll take my small victories where I can get them," she finished, reaching for the coffee pot again.

"Where do you work that the boss would have business on a holiday like this?" Ben asked, almost humorously.

"I'm a cocktail waitress and delivery girl at Toots N' Tails," Tara said, not batting an eyelash. People Ben's age were normally pretty judgmental about her line of work. Tara had stopped caring about their opinions as soon as she got her first night's tips.

"You seem awfully young to be working at a place like that," Ben replied. As a Marshal he didn't have any particular experience with the hustle that went on in strip clubs, but he'd seen plenty of the girls who worked there end up as collateral damage to the boss' side activities or patron's amorous fantasies.

"Well, the foster system only gives you $150 when you turn 18," Tara said, shrugging her shoulders, "I'm not coordinated enough to dance and make that kind of money, but I can sling drinks and run packages just fine. It's enough to pay for my rent, food, and my classes at UW. It's not a career, but I can live with it for now."

Ben tried to keep himself from jumping the shark. He needed to get just the right information out of Tara without spooking her. If she was a delivery girl there was a chance she knew the details of _what_ she was delivering, and that mattered heavily to him as far as Ava's safety was concerned.

"You gotta run deliveries all over Seattle?" he asked, "That's gotta run your gas bill pretty high."

"It's usually just one or two a day, either before or after my shift, and it's always going to the same place, so no big deal. Honestly, I was stoked when the opportunity came up. The boss used to just have his son do it, but now that Sammy is busy learning the more important stuff he asked me if I wanted to do it. I get paid extra, and there's always a nice tip from the guy I deliver to."

"That sounds like a pretty sweet gig," Ben said, "Nice that you can swing both and school, too."

"Yeah, I've had to miss a day or two, but Ava's been great about lending me her notes when I need them."

"She's a great girl," Ben said, "Has she had a chance to get out and see Seattle at all?"

Tara smiled coyly, "I've sent her to a few places… but I think she'd rather see the sights of Minnesota, to be honest."

Ben blushed, mentally kicking himself for getting drawn into this line of conversation. "Well, I'm just glad she's adjusting here. I know the move was hard on her."

Tara nodded, "She's going to go down to Legal Aid next week to get some volunteer time in. I hope it gives her an incentive to stay. I'd miss her like hell if she left."

Ben grinned, "I know the feeling, Tara. I know the feeling."

Ava popped out of the bedroom just then, "Sorry that took so long, guys!" She looked over at Tara and asked, "So, what should we do about dinner?"

Tara waved off her friend and said, "I know I said I was coming over, but I think you should take advantage of this… rare opportunity."

Ava smiled and started to protest, but Tara stopped her again, "Nope! No arguments! I can catch up on the Bio homework from last week and you," she paused, fishing in her back pocket for something, "can take Mr. Marvelous to the Golden Dragon for dim sum." She handed over a take out menu to a Chinese restaurant featuring an ornate gold dragon on the front. "Before you ask- yes, they're open every day of the year except Chinese New Year and for the Dragon Boat Festival." Ava gaped at her. Tara sighed and said, "Don't worry, they're already past for this year! But for future reference, they happen in January and June. You guys go and have a good time. And for god's sake, don't skip the pork buns or the shumai!" Grabbing a thermos from Ava's cupboard she emptied the coffee pot into it and dumped a load of cream and sugar in. Then, leaning in for a hug, she whispered, "Let yourself be happy, Ava, whatever that is for you."

Ava squeezed Tara hard and said, "I'll come by tomorrow and get my Thermos, okay? I'll take you out for dinner." Tara nodded and closed the front door behind her.

Ben looked over at Ava, "Ava, I need to talk to you about Tara."

Ava rolled her eyes at the tone in Ben's voice, "You know, for all you talk about my intelligence you sure treat me like an idiot a lot. I haven't slipped up or told her anything about you specifically that would give anything away."

Ben cut her off, "Ava, it's not like that. Tara works at Toots N' Tails. Did you know that?"

Ava shrugged, "No, but why should I care how she pays the bills? Her parents didn't leave her a load of money when they died like mine did."

Ben could sense he was thin ice, "I'm not suggesting she's a bad person because she has to work for a living, but Toots N' Tails is owned by the Seattle mob family- the Colaruccio's. Ava, you have got to cut ties with her."

Ava folded her arms and straightened to her fullest height, "No." She said it plainly and without hesitation.

Ben blinked, "This isn't negotiable Ava. If the Colaruccio's find out you're here in Seattle they can get that information to the New York bosses in a heartbeat. You'd be the last loose end to tie up! You have to-"

"I don't HAVE to do a god damned thing," she said, her eyes blazing, "I have literally JUST started over here and have a good friend and a plan set out to try and regain some semblance of a normal life and not you, the DOJ, the mob, or anyone else is going to take ONE MORE DAMN THING away from me. If that means I have to be extra careful, fine. I don't go to strip clubs anyway! I'll make sure Tara and I stay away from that part of town, but I'm not giving up the few threads of sanity I have to make your life easier."

"EASIER?!" Ben thundered, his fury and indignation matching Ava's, "My life has become nothing but complicated since you walked into it this summer! I am trying to keep you safe and alive, and all you've done at this point is try and make it harder for me to do so!"

Ava took a deep breath and prepared to shout back, when she felt a tug somewhere near her heart. _Let yourself be happy, whatever that is for you._ She opened her eyes and walked toward Ben. Drawing him close, she kissed him deeply. "I really am sorry for making your life complicated. I'm trying my best to find my footing in this new life. I'm trying, really hard, to be the kind of person my parents thought I could be. I need you to understand that I care about you, I miss you, and… I love you. I also need you to understand that I am just now finding out who I really am, and what I want to do with my life. I'm not in a place where I can just move to a new city and pick up right where I left off. Tara is important to me. I'll make sure I'm careful, but I need to know that you trust me enough not to treat me like a piece of china."

Ben held her tightly and, not for the first time in his life, lied his ass off, "Of course, Ava. I understand. If Tara is important to you, she's important to me. I'll back off. Just promise me you'll be extra careful." His mind was already laying out a few different options, but he knew they'd have to wait until his next trip out to Seattle. Until then, he'd have to roll the dice that she'd stay safe.

Ava smiled and pulled back from him, reaching for her keys. "Let's head to that Chinese food place. I worked up quite the appetite this morning."

Ben followed behind her, silently hoping that he could use his vacation days without anyone at the office getting wise to him.

* * *

Friday

November 27, 1981

Ben woke up before Ava and finished packing his small travel bag. After a hurried shower and a cup of coffee he kissed Ava goodbye, promising to return as soon as he was able. He grabbed the keys to his rental car and the slip of paper he'd copied Tara's address on from Ava's address book. He had a plan to make sure Ava stayed safe, and it started with Tara.

Pulling in to the apartment complex in the Victory Heights neighborhood of I-5, Ben cut the engine quickly and checked his mirrors. The mob family in Seattle had spent thousands in bribes to local police to keep their operations safe. Ben wasn't going to take chances being outed by a nosey cop. He climbed the stairs to the second floor and knocked on the door.

Tara looked through the peephole and saw Ben standing outside. _Ewww, I knew this guy was giving me a creepy vibe. I swear to God, if he's here to hit on me I'm gonna mace the shit out of him…_

She opened the door and stood in the doorway, her arms folded in front of her. "Ben," she said, "This is an unexpected visit."

Ben gestured to the interior of the apartment and said, "May I come in? I need to talk with you."

Tara held her ground. "Nope," she said, unapologetically, "My apartment is my sanctuary. No guys allowed inside."

Ben smirked, "That must be quite a change for you." Before he realized it, Tara had taken one quick step forward and delivered a lightning fast punch straight to his nose. His eyes instantly filled with tears, and he instinctively pinched off his nose to stop the blood dripping from it. Tara moved back to close the door on him, but Ben shoved his foot in it. Standing up straight, he pushed Tara back into her apartment and shut the door behind him. She moved to pick up her phone, but he pulled the cord out of the wall. Tara backed away, genuinely frightened. This sort of thing had happened in one of her foster homes. She swore it was the last time anyone would ever lay a hand on her without her permission.

"Back the fuck off!" she screamed, "HELP! HELP!" She turned to run toward her bathroom, but Ben grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth.

"Calm down," he said, trying not to let too much blood drip into his mouth, "I'm not going to hurt you. I just need you to listen to me. Can you do that? Nod if you understand."

Tara nodded, and Ben let her go. He walked over to her small kitchen and grabbed a dish towel from the sink. Wiping the blood from his face, he turned to face Tara. "Listen, I'm going to level with you. I don't want you around Ava. She's got a special set of circumstances that make people like your boss and your customers persona non grata in my opinion."

Tara shrugged, "Like I give a shit what you think," she said, "Ava can make her own decisions. Just because you're old enough to be her dad doesn't mean you get to act like one."

Ben's eyes narrowed, "Cheap shot, Tara. I only let people take one of those at me."

Tara crossed her arms in front of her, "Truth hurts, doesn't it?" she retorted, "Get to the point already, I want you out of my apartment."

Ben moved the towel away from his nose, "Alright," he said, leveling his gaze at her. He noted that the girl couldn't weigh more than 115 pounds. _She's just a kid… C'mon Ben, you can't force a kid to… No. She's an adult. She knows who her boss is. It's time for her to make an adult decision. This is for Ava. To keep her safe…._ "Listen Tara, I know who your boss is."

Tara shrugged, "So?"

Ben glared at her, "That's all you got? So? Your boss is Sammy Colaruccio, Tara! He is THE mafia in Seattle. There isn't any other in this city! He's been paying off the cops for decades. Guys like him present a unique problem for me, and by extension, Ava."

Tara held her ground. She felt like one reason she'd survived this long was because she didn't yield ground to men just because they felt like she should. "And how is any of this my problem? I don't bring my work home with me, and I sure as hell don't invite Ava to the club. Two separate worlds."

"Except it won't be for long, Tara," Ben said, "You know that. You have to have been around long enough to see that, eventually, private lives stop being private."

Tara didn't reply. She was still waiting to hear why Ben had come over.

"Look," Ben sighed, "I had this conversation with Ava already. She reacted pretty much the same way. So I have two choices- force Ava's hand and move her again, or-"

"Or force mine," Tara finished for him. She sighed, willing the anger and frustration to remain at bay long enough to hear Ben's plan. Either way she was going to lose out on something. At the very least she should be able to pick which loss she had to endure.

Ben nodded, the earlier guilt pressing heavier on his mind. "You have inside information on your boss, even if you don't realize it. I can put you in touch with federal investigators who've been working on prosecuting the Colaruccio family. In exchange for your cooperation, you'll be given a whole new life. Some seed money to start over with, a new identity, a new town. It's not a bad offer, Tara."

Tara brought her bright blue eyes up to meet Ben's and he instantly felt discomfited. "You really think you're going to sell me the 'sunshine and rainbows' of Witness Protection?" She shook her head, "I grew up in a system that treated a small child like a piece of trash without a container. I only survived this long because I DON'T trust anyone. But I think you know that, Ben. I think you know you can force me into this, just like I know you don't really have two choices. You've never had anything you want as much as Ava. If you force her to move, she'll hate you forever. There's no way my life, my happiness, my safety means anything close to that to you. Which means you'll do whatever you have to to make sure I take this 'deal' you're offering."

Ben had no response off hand. He knew Tara had him dead to rights. "So does that mean you're taking me up on my offer?"

Tara shrugged, "I need some time to think it over."

Ben nodded, "I'll be back at Christmas. I'll need your answer by then. With or without you, Tara, I'm going to make sure the Colaruccios aren't around to harm Ava. Just remember, she's what this boils down to."

Tara nodded, "I get that, Ben. Now get out of my apartment. I want to enjoy it while I still can."

She led him out and locked the door behind him. Sliding down the wall, she gave herself over to half an hour's worth of sobbing before she picked herself up off the floor. She walked through her small place, looking at its spare, well-cared for furnishings. Tara had never had much in this life, but she'd taken care of what she did have. _I guess I should do the same for Ava._ Promising herself that she'd undertake some serious consideration later, she pulled her backpack towards her. Right now, she just wanted to lose herself in her schoolwork. She pulled on her Walkman headphones and punched the play button for the cassette. The slow thrum of classical strings began to play, and before long, Tara was lost in a world of cells and microbes.

Outside, Ben got into his car and double checked his mirrors. Nobody seemed to be watching so he started the engine and began driving to SeaTac airport. His mind was racing through the steps needed to set Tara up as a witness… and as a patsy. _Either way, she can decide which role she wants to play._ The growing knot in his stomach wasn't eased by thoughts of keeping Ava safe and happy in her new home. He pushed the guilt aside. _You can't make everyone happy all the time. She'll get to make her choice._ And with that, he focused on his mental to-do list.

Sammy Jr. watched through narrowed eyes as the tall guy exited Tara's apartment. He hadn't been in there long. Not long enough to do the things Sammy Jr wanted to do, anyway. Still, he'd been plenty clear to all the guys at his dad's clubs- Tara was his. He hadn't made his move yet. Tara was different from most of the other girls he'd been introduced to. She was smart, and she wasn't impressed by tough-guy bravado. He'd watched some junkie try and steal her purse one night after closing. She laid the guy out with a quick punch and kept walking. When some asshat from the club gave the guy and extra kick and then went running after her looking for "gratitude", she'd given him the same.

 _Just gotta find out who the guy is, that's all. Maybe he's just a relative or something. Even if he's interested in her, maybe she ain't interested in him._

Sammy Jr. wasn't known for patience, but he'd been waiting awhile for his chance with Tara. If he had to do a little digging to remove some competition, he was willing to put in the work. He got back in his car and wrote down the license plate for the car on the side of a newspaper. He'd have one of their payroll cops run the number tomorrow, then maybe pay the guy a visit. With that, he gunned the engine. Shipments were getting ready for delivery and he didn't want to be late for receipt. His old man would kill him if they lost another.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

December 4th , 1981

Hunt, TX

Fez pulled his rental car up to the visitor parking lot and slid out from behind the driver's seat. The "winter" weather here was mild and pleasant compared to Wisconsin, and he simply carried his leather coat into the clinic with him. He wasn't sure how long he'd be here, but he hoped it'd be a short stop. He'd been traveling all day and was anxious to settle in to his hotel and get something to eat. Signing in at the front desk, he'd barely sat down when the nurse looked down at the sign in sheet and said, "Mr. Fez? Right this way. The doctor is anxious to speak with you."

The nurse led him down a short hallway and into a softly lit office with comfortable chairs. Fez took his usual seat opposite Dr. Burke and smiled in greeting. The doctor was a kind, red-headed, middle-aged woman with warm brown eyes. Fez knew instantly he'd made the right decision when he'd found out Dr. Burke would be in charge of the treatment regimen.

"Well, Fez, I'm almost sorry to say that this will be our last meeting!" she said, smiling broadly.

Fez blinked, taken aback at the good news. "Are you serious?" he stammered, "I never expected it to be so…quick!"

Dr. Burke nodded, "Neither did I, honestly. Heroin addiction is severe. It usually takes years of intensive therapy, often with many relapses and overdoses, before addicts find themselves in a position to become treatment compliant. And I don't want to give you false hope either, those are very real possibilities. But your wife has made a remarkable turnaround here. I think much of that credit goes to you, Fez."

Fez could only smile and nod. His tears were just barely repressed.

"As I told you last month, she's remained off her methadone since the first month with zero signs of relapse. She's handled increased freedom at the Ranch quite well, although the ranch owners report she's reticent to leave the area. She might be more comfortable talking about that with you. I think the next step should be getting her out of the treatment facility on a more permanent basis. What are your thoughts?"

Fez tried to come up with a coherent thought for something he wasn't quite prepared for. "In all honesty, Dr. Burke, I had assumed this would be another progress report like last month. I hadn't really thought much about the next step." He looked down at his hands, embarrassed at his lack of preparedness.

"Fez, that's really nothing to be ashamed of," she said kindly, "I just don't want your wife to stagnate in her recovery. She's moving forward. Let's keep her headed in that direction."

Fez nodded, "I know she's told me on the phone that the Ranch is her favorite place. Maybe I could spend some time with her there? Get to know what makes her comfortable there? Then I could come up with something and meet with you on Monday?"

Dr. Burke scribbled furiously on a pink pad. "Here's a weekend pass for your wife. It's good for tonight through Sunday night. 48 hours is the most I can do, I'm afraid. But this will make sure you can spend as much time as you like with her there. The owners are quite kind, and I know they've taken such a shine to her. I'm sure they'd love to have you as well. You're welcome to use my office to call them and arrange things if you'd like. I'll have the nurse collect your wife and let her know to get her overnight bag for the Ranch."

Fez stood and shook Dr. Burke's hand, "Thank you so much, Dr. Burke. I'll see you on Monday with a concrete plan." She stood and walked out and left the door cracked behind her. Fez flipped through the file on the desk, reading the treatment notes, noting that his wife had done extra therapy sessions after her medical evaluation and continued them long after they were required. Her drug counselor noted "low self-esteem plagued by sense of non-accomplishment" and "patient wants to believe she can achieve something of significance". Fez committed those to memory. He flipped through her vitals chart to make sure she was eating and just as he was getting to her physical therapy sessions he heard the door creak behind him.

He dropped the folder and turned to see his wife standing behind him, her silhouette backlit in the doorframe. Several hours might have passed in those seconds and Fez would not have known. Her hair was longer and fuller, but softer too, the giant waves of yesteryear grown out into long strands that simply flowed. Her rounded face glowed and the eyes sparkled with joy. For him, though, it was the smile that stole his breath. It was a slow smile that was so genuine that it lit her up. She dropped her bag and ran to him.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed her to him, begging the heavens above to let him retain his composure.

"I've missed you. So. Much." She whispered, and she kissed him gently on the ear.

Fez inhaled the scent of her soap and let his lips brush her ear as well, "I love you, Laurie."

"I love you too, Fez."

* * *

December 5th, 1981

Point Place

Forman Residence

Kitty was in a foul mood, and the asshole blocking her driveway was not helping her one bit. Her coffeemaker was broken, the damn hot water heater had given out, and the constant gloomy Wisconsin weather was dampening even her Christmas cheer. She stomped down the salted driveway to see a buxom blonde heaving herself out of a Cadillac.

"Excuse me! Yoohoo!" Kitty called, in a passable imitation of friendly.

The blonde turned and put on an automatic smile like a beauty pageant contestant. "Are you here for the open house? It doesn't start for another hour!"

Kitty stared at her. "Um, no, I'm… the what?"

The woman held out a gloved hand, "Rhonda Goldfarb, from Rhonda's Realty. We're handling the estate sale for the Pinciottis including the home."

Kitty kept staring, "Bob's selling his house? Where did he move to?"

Rhonda looked uncomfortable. "Oh dear. Listen, why don't we go inside and I can make us some coffee. I take it you're his neighbor?"

Kitty nodded, "I could definitely use a cup of coffee."

They headed inside the house and Kitty was gobsmacked. Every item had a sticker on it. Every chair, the china, the table; Kitty ran into the living room and saw stickers on all the furniture there as well. As she came back through the swinging door, Rhonda was pouring coffee out into two cups. "What the hell is going on here?" Kitty demanded, her eyes wide.

Rhonda laid the cups on the table and gestured for Kitty to take a seat.

"Ma'am-"

"Please, it's Kitty."

Rhonda blinked, "Oh my goodness, Kitty Forman?"

Kitty nodded.

Rhonda smiled, "I'm so sorry, Kitty. I've only been gone for a few years and it feels like Point Place is a foreign city sometimes! I guess you knew me better as Big Rhonda."

Kitty could hardly have been more stunned, but it seemed to be the mood of the day now. The woman in front of her was svelte and fashionable, with an air of sophistication that had certainly never followed Big Rhonda. "Rhonda? _A-ha-ha-ha!_ Oh my, dear, you certainly have changed! But let's get back to the matter at hand- where is Bob?"

Rhonda took a deep breath, "Kitty, when was the last time you spoke with Bob?"

Kitty thought. "Oh, I think it must have been July 4th or thereabout. We came home from Chicago, and there was that awful business with Donna and then the break-in," she shuddered. The memories of that week still lived in the back of her mind.

Rhonda patted her hand sympathetically. "Well, it was just shortly after that…" she paused "Bob went to New York City for some reason. I don't know why. But he, well, he was murdered there. My husband's law firm handles the Pinciotti's wills and we were contacted when the death certificate was issued."

Kitty put her hand over her mouth. "Bob's gone! Oh, my goodness. But what about Donna?"

Rhonda shook her head, "As to that, I don't know. She wasn't listed as deceased. And all assets are being placed in a trust for her, but neither my husband nor myself has been given any information regarding her whereabouts. My husband is the trustee for her account only until the estate sale is complete. I assume she is alive and well somewhere, but we have no way of contacting her."

Kitty nodded, silent tears streaming down her face. "I'm sure she's with her mom. Midge would want her daughter to come to her."

Rhonda hung her head. _You have got to be kidding me._ "Unfortunately, Kitty, Midge passed away shortly before Bob did. We received that certificate as well, around the same time. Apparently, it was a robbery at her condo in Malibu." She looked up to see Kitty's horrified gazed returned to hers. The coffee remained untouched between them.

"So, everything here is just going to be sold then?" Kitty asked.

"Yes," Rhonda replied, "The open house this weekend will give people a chance to purchase the larger items like furniture and peruse the home. There have been several interested parties already just from the ads. Bob was very smart and used his patent proceeds to pay off the mortgages on the home. His estate will profit nicely from the combined sales. The homebuyers have the chance to buy fully furnished if they want, but…" Rhonda trailed off, realizing she was talking just to cover the awfulness of Kitty's grief.

Kitty stood up and walked her cup to the sink. "Rhonda, dear, I wonder if you might let me look through the photo albums? There were so many pictures of our families together that would mean so much to us."

Rhonda smiled sadly, "I'm so sorry, Miss Kitty, but all the photo albums appear to have been removed. My husband did say that Bob had only made two bequests in his will outside of Donna. I can check and see if that was for you or your family, if you like."

Kitty sniffled and smiled, "Thank you dear, when you can I would be grateful. Bob was a wonderful man and a great friend. And I have to say- you look just lovely in that suit. Now, I'm going to go break the news to Red. Oh, and if you wouldn't mind, dear, please move your car. I'm going to need to make a drive to the liquor store in about an hour."

Kitty hugged Rhonda and marched across the lawn and through the sliding glass doors into the kitchen. Red was standing by the kitchen sink holding the empty coffee pot as though by looking crossly at it, it would magically fill with hot coffee.

"Kitty! Where the hell is all the – ," he stopped abruptly at the sight of his wife's red nose and tear streaked face. "Kitty? What's wrong?!" He rushed around the counter and wrapped her up in a hug.

Kitty hugged her husband tightly, but didn't break down. "Red," she said, extricating herself from him, "I was just next door."

"Is Bob finally back?" Red asked anxiously, "Don't tell him, but I've been worried about that goofy son-of-a-bitch."

"No, Red," Kitty said, her breath catching, "Honey, Bob's dead. He died a few months ago. That same weekend we came back to find Steven."

Red sat down heavily at the breakfast table and listened as Kitty relayed all the horrible news she'd just learned. Once she'd finished, he reached over and put his strong hand over hers. "You know, Christmas just won't be the same without Bob here. I don't know if life will be the same without him here."

Kitty nodded in agreement. "I don't know if I want to watch people traipse in and out of his house all month, Red. Why don't we see if we can spend Christmas with the kids in Chicago?"

Red nodded. "I think that sounds like just the ticket, sweetheart."

* * *

December 5th, 1981

Green Ranch

Hunt, TX

Colt Green heard the approaching tires and hollered down the foyer to his wife, "Bunny! Looks like they're here!"

Bunny came dashing out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her half-apron as she tried to untie it at the same time. "Oh Lord, oh Lord, how's my hair?"

Colt smiled, "Just fine, Bunny, just fine. Calm down. She's been here before dozens of times! Why ya losin' your head now?" Of course, he knew why Bunny was nervous. Laurie was the first female patient from the clinic that had been to the Ranch. She and Bunny had immediately clicked, spending hours talking, gardening, taking care of the livestock and the dogs. Colt knew Bunny had long ago made peace with their inability to have children. They'd thrown themselves into helping others, humans and animals alike, and for the most part that had filled their hearts. But there were moments, he saw, especially in town around other mothers with their daughters that Bunny's pain would flit across her face. Laurie seemed to fill that void for her.

The sound of two car doors shutting outside signaled to Colt that they should head outside. They walked out onto the porch and saw Laurie walking hand in hand with a tall, dark, handsome man. "Oh my!" squealed Bunny, running up to Laurie, "Darlin' come here! I ain't seen you in a week!"

Colt rolled his eyes affectionately and extended his hand to Fez, "Pleased to meet you. Name's Colt Green, and that bundle of nerves clinging to your wife is Bunny."

Fez laughed and shook Colt's hand gratefully, "It's an honor to meet you both, sir. Laurie's been talking about you both nonstop."

Laurie stepped over to hug Colt and then slipped under Fez's arm again. "How about we head inside? I can smell Bunny's brisket from here and I am starving!"

Fez grinned down at his wife. It was the strangest thing in the world to think of his former yogurt-and-water devotee as a red-meat eater. _You have to be willing to see her differently._ "Sounds great, my princess."

They all headed inside, followed by a horse-sized dog in Fez's opinion, to a heavy wooden table laden with home cooked food. They passed around dishes, pouring servings onto their plates, and barely exchanging a word for the first fifteen minutes. Fez, for his part, was certain he was in heaven. This was food he could have as a last meal. After a second helping of potato salad, he sat back and let some of his food settle. Laurie smiled at him, and winked over her forkful of smoked sausage.

"So, Fez, Laurie tells us you own a salon up in Wisconsin?" Colt said.

"Oh, well, yes," Fez stammered. Colt was clearly a man's man, and he obviously meant a great deal to Laurie. In truth, he reminded Fez sharply of Red, and that distinction wasn't exactly putting him at ease right now. "I have always appreciated beauty and Miss Kitty said that I had quite an eye for style, so it seemed to be the right career for me."

"Well, hell, son!" Colt said, "Ain't nothing to be ashamed of! Some guys herd the cattle, some guys tan the leather, some make the purses. Everybody does honest work."

Fez smiled. "Thank you, sir. That's very kind. Bunny, this was the most delicious food I've had since I came to America. You really should have your own restaurant."

Bunny blushed, "Well, thank you Fez. Now you have to tell me, which part of Morocco are you from?"

Fez blinked, "Morocco?"

"Well, I just assumed. Laurie told me you came as a foreign exchange student, but when she said your name was Fez- well that's the name of a city in Morocco."

Fez chuckled, "Oh, that's just an acronym my friends came up with. Actually, I'm from a small village in Venezuela. My real name is Alejandro Roberto Vasquez y Montemayor."

Colt and Bunny simply gaped. Bunny recovered first, "Well, I can see why they went with Fez! But dear, we'll be happy to go with whatever you like."

"I think Fez is what I'm used to now, honestly. It's what Laurie has always called me, and I like the way it sounds when she says it."

"Then Fez it is!" Colt said. "Now, let's take our coffee out to the porch. That fire pit's just dyin' to be lit, and Laurie," he wagged a finger at her, "Ares been beggin for a proper rub down since last week."

Laurie laughed and led the way out to the enclosed fire pit, the large dog close at her heels. As she sat down on a squashy loveseat the dog parked itself between her legs and leaned himself back. Laurie began petting the dog with long, slow strokes, cooing occasionally at him as if he were a baby. Fez reached over and scratched the giant dog beneath his jaw and immediately the dog rested its head on Fez's lap. Bunny sat down and looked over at Laurie, "Now, darlin' what was it we were talkin' about last week?"

Laurie looked up, and even in the firelight, Fez could see the flush in her face. "Oh, well, I was just wondering if you'd had any more thought on… you know, things I could try. To see if I'm good at anything."

Before Fez could speak, Bunny said, "First off, you are good at a hundred things Laurie. I don't know anyone else who picked up on horticulture so quick- and that ain't an easy science. And you didn't take but an afternoon to get the back half of that acre cleared! You had to use your wits to figure that out, girl! But as we're talking about _different_ ideas, then yes, I came up with something that I think you might try."

Laurie eyed Bunny a little suspiciously, "I feel like this is like the time you told me about animal husbandry. I might never be the same after putting my hands that far up a cow…"

As Colt laughed, Bunny grinned, "But you got through it all the same, and you're stronger for it. But no, honey, I was thinking you might try something I used to love doing. Flying."

It was Fez's turn to gape. "Flying? Like airplanes?" he asked.

"Well I wasn't talking about carpets, son." Bunny quipped.

Laurie looked pensive. "You really think I could do it?" she asked.

 _This is it, Fez. This is what Jackie was talking about._ He waited for Bunny and Colt to nod at Laurie, and then he turned to look at her. "Laurie, I absolutely believe you can do this. Why not try and see if it's something you _want_ to do?"

Bunny nodded happily, "Alright then, I'll call Mike down at the airstrip in Bastrop. He owes me quite a bit. I'll have him take you up tomorrow and you can see if you like it. If you decide you want to learn how to fly, we'll get you started."

Fez grasped her hand tightly, "Laurie, whatever path you want to go down. I'm here to support it."

Laurie smiled, burying her face in Ares' fur to keep from sobbing. Looking up she said, "I wish my parents could see how far I've come. It's almost Christmas. I know I can't go home yet, but it'd be nice if they knew, ya know?" She got up to take Ares inside and clear the table.

Fez looked at Bunny and Colt. "I know you guys have really put yourselves out there for Laurie. So, I wonder if I could ask a favor for me? If I could bring Laurie's family down here at Christmastime, would you guys mind hosting a Christmas dinner here? I think I could persuade the clinic for a two-day pass, and it would really brighten everybody's holiday."

Bunny and Colt considered for a second before replying, "Of course we will, son. Just let us know how many to expect and when. We've got plenty of room between here and the carriage house. Hell, it'd be nice to have a proper Christmas feast again!"

Fez smiled and warmed his hands by the fire. His sweet princess would have the life she deserved soon, and he'd be able to share it with her completely.

* * *

December 6th, 1981

Bastrop Municipal Airfield

Bastrop, TX

Fez stood in front of the large bay window overlooking the small airfield. From the second floor of the hangar, he watched Laurie and Mike go through a pre-flight checklist. He would point to things and she would check them off, occasionally stopping to chat about their significance. Fez nervously sipped his coffee. He was anxious about what would happen if this didn't turn out well.

Bunny stepped up to the window. "Watchin' her ain't gonna make the outcome any different, sugar. If this is meant to be, it'll be."

Fez laughed nervously, "I know, Miss Bunny. I know," he paused, "Have you ever wanted something for someone else so badly, it feels like you want it yourself?"

Bunny nodded. "Of course, sweetie. How do you think I ended up at the Ranch?"

Fez looked properly at the older woman for the first time. She had kind brown eyes, and her chestnut hair had just the sparest bit of silver in it. She held herself with the same posture as a military commander, and Fez imagined she'd come by it honestly. "How _did_ you come to end up as a rancher's wife, Miss Bunny?"

Bunny smiled. "I met Colt during the War. I was in Houston in 1942, training with the WASPs. That was the- ,"

"Women's Army Service Pilots," gasped Fez, "Yes, I read about your group in one of Donna's books!"

"Yes, dear, that was me. My father had paid for my pilot's license in 1940 as a graduation gift. He thought that if I met a nice man at the airfield I might settle down and give up on my high ideas!" She chuckled to herself, "What a waste of his $500 that turned out to be!"

"Well, I was at the end of my training and me, Margie, and Mabel decided to drive into town to celebrate our graduation. We got seven kinds of lost driving around that night and end up at this bar near the downtown area that we'd seen a bunch of Army boys walking into. Colt was one of them. I think the second I saw those green eyes I knew he was going to be my husband. We danced, we drank, we laughed. I gave him my station address and he gave me his APO." She paused again, her smile betraying the fondness of the memories.

"We wrote to each other for nearly 2 years. I wrote him through D-Day, the push through Europe, and then came the Battle at Ardennes. I didn't hear from him for a month. All I could do, every day, was fly. As soon as my hands touched that metal, my mind let me go somewhere else. I didn't have to think of him hurt, or worse. It wasn't long after that that I got a telegram from London. Colt had been wounded, badly, in a battle in the forest. Took nearly 3 weeks before they were sure he'd make it. Soon as he could talk he demanded a telegram be sent to me. He was coming home. Wanted to know where I was stationed, as that's where he'd tell them home was."

Fez realized he was holding his breath, waiting to hear the next part of her story. "What happened once Mr. Colt came home?"

"Oh, we had such a time for a few months!" she said happily. "It was the start of 1945, and we were thinking I might apply for a government transport pilot job. Colt was just starting to walk again, and things looked bright. Then the WASPs were disbanded," she snapped her fingers, "just like that. No ticket home. No warning. Well, I'd been saving every last penny I had. Colt had saved all his. We pulled out the map and decided we'd move back here, to the Hill Country. I was in the middle of feeling so sorry for myself one morning, and all of a sudden I looked over at Colt. Here was this man- he was puttin' one foot in front of the other with his face all messed up still, and he was still smiling. He looked over at me, lookin' at him, and I asked him- 'Colt, what on earth are you smiling for?' and he looks back and says, 'I guess I'm just grateful I get to find something new to be good at!'. So that feeling, Fez, where you want something for someone? I wanted so bad for him to feel good, that it erased all my own sorry thoughts from my head. We made our way out to Hunt eventually. Bought this land and cleared it. I rescued all kinds of animals and Colt's made a damn good rancher. I might never have been a famous pilot, son, but I can't complain about the life I did get to have."

"Is that why you brought Laurie to the airfield?" Fez asked. "Do you think this will help her be less sad about her circumstances?"

"Yes and no, son," she replied. "Flying ain't like anything else. You don't do it for a paycheck. You do it because you need to. I still love to come out here every so often and take a plane out. There's something about Laurie, sweetie. She's more than she thinks she is. She's certainly fearless enough, and damn stubborn enough. I think this is something she ought to try."

Fez nodded and looked back out of the window. Laurie had climbed into the small Cessna 210 alongside Mike. She'd placed the headset on and Fez could see her pointing to things in the cockpit. As the plane started up and taxied down the runway, Fez crossed his fingers. _Good or bad, just let her land safely again._

An hour later the light aircraft touched down smoothly and returned to its place outside the hangar. Bunny jumped up and ran down to the lower level to greet Laurie.

"So, sugar?" she asked, a little breathlessly, "What'd ya think?"

Mike cut in before Laurie could answer, "The damn girl's a natural, Bunny. Not a shaky hand or a quiver in her voice. I'd swear she was your daughter if I didn't know ya better."

Laurie giggled and hugged Bunny tightly. Releasing her she stepped over to Fez and clasped her hands in front of her pleadingly, "Fez, I really loved it. I think I found something I could be good at if I work hard. What do you think?"

Fez smiled and extended a hand to Mike, "Sir, I'm going to need to see your rates if I'm going to be cutting a check to you."

Laurie jumped up and down, clapping and laughing. Bunny stood beaming, watching the little blonde waif cheering, and felt as happy as she had nearly forty years ago when her own journey started.

Back at the Ranch, as everyone else settled in to an early dinner and Laurie packed up to return to the clinic, Fez snuck into the kitchen and placed a call.

"Hello?"

"Kelso? It's Fez."

"Fez! My man! How are you? Are you coming in for Christmas?" Kelso asked excitedly.

"Not quite, my friend. But don't worry, we're definitely going to see each other."

"Fez," Kelso said hesitantly, "You're not mailing me Polaroids of your _stuff_ are you?"

"No!" Fez exclaimed, "But I need your help. I've got a plan for Christmas and you're the only one I trust."

"Lay it on me little buddy! I'm all ears."


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

December 14th, 1981

Highland Park, Illinois

"Michael?!" Brooke called, furiously digging through her clothes, "Have you seen any of my maternity underwear?!"

Kelso bounded into the room, arms furiously flapping in a shushing motion.

"What?" she hissed, "Betsy can sleep through a Stones concert!"

"Not that, babe," Kelso said, "I don't want Red and Kitty to hear." He leaned back and closed the door to their bedroom.

"Michael, if you need to tell me something about you and ladies' underwear…"

Kelso laughed, "Nothing like that babe. I packed a suitcase for you last night. We're taking a surprise trip tonight, and I couldn't risk anyone seeing it and asking questions."

Brooke eyed him suspiciously, "Okaaay, but if it's a surprise then why are you telling me?"

Kelso grimaced. "Well, I kinda figured I'd have to let you know, and I already cleared it with your boss, but the real surprise is for Red and Kitty. They're coming with us. So are Eric, Amina, Jackie, and Hyde."

Brooke felt uneasy, "Michael, sweetie, that's everyone. Where are we going that I need days off work and our entire family? Oh God, you didn't sell this house did you?!"

"No, I swear! This is just really important. Trust me."

"Okay, Michael," she relented, his earnest face convincing her, "I trust you. But please, if we're going to be in the car for long I need my ginger cookies. Peanut is giving me a rough time."

Kelso grinned, "No long road trip, babe. We're FLYING!" and with that he pressed his finger to his lips and backed silently out of the room.

Brooke stood there, mouth open, wondering what on earth her sweet husband had planned. _A flight at 7 months pregnant to an unknown destination. Please god let it be somewhere warm!_

Chicago O'Hare Airport

Kelso stood nervously in front of the Texas Air counter. Fez had said that all the tickets were paid for and ready for pick-up, but he was still worried that something would go wrong. He'd never flown before in his life. Airline tickets were too expensive for a family with seven kids, and there had never been need for him to fly once he settled in Chicago.

The lady behind the counter cleared her throat and smiled at him, "Mr. Kelso?"

"Yes. That's me. I'm him," he said, raising his hand reflexively.

She grinned widely, "Here are your tickets. It looks like Mr. Vasquez paid for seven coach and two first-class tickets for your parents."

Michael took the tickets, gobsmacked at his friend's generosity.

"Now, just head through security towards Gate 8. Your parents have access to the private lounge before departure if they'd like," she leaned in close, "and the bartender pours a solid Manhattan if either is a nervous flyer."

Kelso grinned back, "Thanks so much, Alice. I think this is going to be the best vacation they've ever had."

He took the tickets and ran back to the parking garage where everyone was waiting beside Eric's Fairmont. Red and Kitty looked especially concerned. He'd insisted that nobody unpack when they'd arrived at the house, transferring their suitcases to Jackie's Lincoln and at four o'clock had simply told everyone to get in the cars. Eric had followed the Kelso, who was driving the Lincoln, to O'Hare all the while insisting quite truthfully that he had no idea what "Jughead" was up to.

"Okay, guys, let's go!" Kelso said, his smile threatening to split his face in half.

"Kelso!" Red thundered, "GO WHERE?!"

Kelso handed over the two tickets to Red and Kitty, "Austin, Red. We're going to Texas!"

Kitty read the ticket carefully, "Michael! Honey these are first-class tickets! They must have cost a fortune!"

"I wouldn't know, Mrs. F. I didn't pay for 'em. Now, let's go! More surprises to come!"

Jackie grabbed her suitcase out of the trunk and started towards the terminal. Nobody else moved. Turning around she said, "Well, I'm not gonna stand here freezing my ass off! We've got tickets people, let's move!"

Everyone seemed to jolt out of there stupor and grabbed their luggage. Heading through the airport, Kelso showed Red and Kitty the lounge and told them they'd meet them at the gate in an hour. Jackie stopped to buy 3 newspapers and some coffee, while Eric and Amina wandered around the terminal shops.

Hyde pulled Jackie aside, "Jacks, you know what's going on?"

"Nope," she replied, shoving her change back in her shoulder bag, "And for once, I'm glad. All I know is Texas is warmer than Chicago and that's good enough for me." She paused, "Hey, isn't Austin near the Ranch you stayed at? Maybe we can stop by and visit Bunny and Colt!"

Hyde grinned, "Yeah, that'd be great. I've missed them. Once we get there I'll call and see if they have time for us. I know they sponsor a lot of the patients from the clinic and I don't want to bother them."

They all settled in at the gate area, Amina happily discussing her plan to change her major with Brooke. "I have it all settled with the university. I will need to take classes through the summer to graduate on time, but I am much happier trying to become a doctor than reading more books on economic theory."

Eric was immersed in a magazine featuring XXX on the cover, a new wunderkind in the computer world with big ideas and a personality to match. He smiled at Amina's comment. He'd seen how laser-focused she was when Kelso and Hyde had been injured and sick. He had no doubt at all that she was on the right path.

An hour passed quickly and Kitty and Red met them just as the gate agent called for first class boarding. With everyone settled on the plane, Eric turned to face Kelso, "Man, are you going to tell us what this trip is about? I mean, it's damn cool to see a new state and all but…"

Kelso leaned back in his chair and smirked, "Nope, you're just gonna have to trust me Foreman. But I promise- you're gonna love this!"

* * *

Austin Municipal Airport

The plane ride had been uneventful, with the exception of Kitty falling asleep after a second Manhattan and snoring quite loudly for such a small woman. Picking up their bags from Baggage Claim, they were greeted by a man holding a sign that read, "Foreman Party".

"This is us!" cried Kelso, waving to the uniformed driver.

Jackie alone remained unperturbed and marched towards the man, with everyone else following her nervously. The man escorted them out to a small bus and loaded their luggage into a back compartment. Once aboard, he said, "It's about a 30 minute ride to the ranch, folks, so please make yourselves comfortable."

Kitty sat down and pulled out a compact to check her makeup, while Jackie marched to the back and sat down to read another newspaper. Hyde took the seat next to her, grinning broadly. "Man, I can't believe you managed to keep this a secret!"

"Huh?" Jackie said, not looking up, "What are you talking about?"

"C'mon, Jacks. You can stop pretending! We're headed to the ranch to see Bunny and Colt!"

"We are?" Jackie said, suddenly interested, "How do you know?"

"The bus has the logo from the clinic I was at! This is the shuttle bus I used to take back and forth," he leaned in and kissed her, "Thank you so much, babe. This is the best Christmas present I've ever gotten."

Bemused, Jackie pulled back, "Babe, you should probably be planting that kiss on Kelso. I had NO part in this. I'm just grateful for a vacation."

Hyde looked stunned, "So… you really didn't know about this?"

"Nope."

"Huh," he said, "I wonder why Kelso would go to all this trouble for me?"

The bus rounded a familiar corner to the ranch and Hyde felt his heart jump a little. _I hope Bunny and Colt are prepared for all this craziness._

The silhouette of the main house was visible now, lit from within by a giant Christmas tree and on the outside by the large fire pit. Hyde could see four people standing out front. He recognized Colt and Bunny's frames, but was utterly lost on who the other two could be.

Coming to a slow stop, Hyde was first off the bus, waving to Colt as a pony sized dog came bounding out of the door. "ARES!" Hyde cried, catching the giant dog in a hug and immediately scratching his ears. Two short whistles sounded and Ares ran back to his owners, who were still standing next to a younger couple.

Hyde waited for the group to disembark the bus and they all walked the riverstone path up to the front porch. Getting closer, Hyde slowly realized the face of the younger man, "Holy shit! Fez!" he cried, giving his friend a huge hug. His eyes adjusted to the dark before settling on the woman to his right. Her face was familiar, but his brain couldn't quite process the combination of subtle differences that treatment and love had wrought.

"Oh!" Kitty gasped. Hyde turned and heard nine voices shout in unison- "LAURIE!"


End file.
